My Time To Shine!
by Shreba
Summary: Ravenelle, a lonely 17-year-old girl, goes on an adventure to the attic in her old mansion. Finding an odd music box she is thrown into another world, a book, called Twilight. Ravenelle finds just by being there she changes many things.
1. The Music Box

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight which belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I do own Ravenelle and the music box. No copyright infringement is intended.

My Time to Shine!

'_The music box'_

My name is Ravenelle. Just Ravenelle. The name of the family I was born to may be Morren, but I do not belong to a family for they no longer care, they say they do, but they don't, so I disowned my 17 year old self from them. No relation to them in my mind.

I have a dull life. My life is the life with all the money but no love. I'm lonely. I had no friends, I was either cast off for being snooty 'cause I was rich or they wanted my money, or I wasn't snooty enough. I even used the word snooty to stuck up.

My parent had to work all the time and I was an only child, I would trade millions of dollars for a sibling, just one is all I was asking for, and I even asked my parents to adopt. But they wouldn't have it, they said I was all they ever wanted, the happiest thing of their life, then why didn't they spend any time with me. I did some times talk to the maids and staff of the house, but really they were paid to, so it was never the same as true companion/friendship.

I asked for a dog, I was so happy of the idea; a cuddly fur ball to play with, to talk to, man's best friend, or even a cat. But I wasn't allowed a; as my parents called it, 'Flea bitten mongrel who would chew up my gazillion dollar hair brush'. Ok so I put some words into that.

So I resorted to other measures, _Books_. The loves of my life. Books of Crime and Mystery, Horror, or my personal favorite, Fantasy. _Harry Potter_ was my ultimate favorite, reading it over and over. Then _Twilight_ came out. I was astonished by the idea of sparkling vampires; it was something different like Harry Potter. In the world of Isabella 'Bella' Marie Swan and Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.

Thought the character Edward was a bit creepy stalker-ish it was romantic, in a weird creepy stalker-ish way. Now don't get me wrong I love him, just don't want him in my room. I absolutely loved Alice the 'short' pixie like clairvoyant vampire and the big teddy bear Emmett. I even liked Rosalie the astoundingly gorgeous vampire. I especially liked Jasper the Southern vampire. Most of all I loved Carlisle and Esme Cullen the parent vampires, the ones I envisioned my parents as.

I read the entire book, as well as the other three when they first came out in a day. Seen every movie the midnight they came out. Liking the second movie better then the first, and the third being the best, I liked jaspers hair better in the third. But the characters in the movies were never as good as my imagination of them on the page.

I got up from bed that morning thinking it would be just like all the other weekend day, boring and uneventful, apart from my usual entertainment. I went for my morning run, just 30 minutes, ate breakfast the cooks made, practiced my tennis; I didn't really like tennis it was just something you could do by yourself and a machine, and went inside to take a shower.

After my shower and getting dressed in comfortable clothing and my hair in a loose bun I went to go to the library. The mansion that I lived in was very roomy. The first floor, from the front doors was a big hall way connecting to rooms and the gigantic spiral stair case of to the far right end. To the left was the living room. To the right was the ballroom and straight ahead was the kitchen, one of my favorite places, for I loved to eat, but from all the extra time I had I worked out getting an athletic build.

The Second floor was the game room, library, workout room, and offices for the parents. The game room had all the resent and some old game boxes, X-box, Playstation 1, 2, and 3, Nintendo 64, Game cube, computers, really it had all entertainment source to your nerd self desires. The library was with shelves and shelves from floor to ceiling of books, the shelves were of dark wood on every wall, the carpet was of dark Magenta. The sitting area was of comfortable chairs and couches which you could sleep in and your back wouldn't hurt, I would know, they were the color of crème, I called it the peace area, no one could disturbed me or they were fired, they know that, to let them know I was in the peace area, I have a sign saying 'Keep Out Of My Dope Man' and a colorful peace sign under it, I found it in my mom's office in a box of memories. I keep it on the inside door handle ready to be put on the outside. The offices were theirs to be; my father's boring and bland for he was a lawyer and my mother's a bit more stylish for she was an interior designer. The workout room consisted of workout things like a bike that could go nowhere, a treadmill, weights, and other things.

The third floor was the bedrooms, it had about 30 bedrooms, I might be exaggerating a bit, all had bathrooms included. All had the same or a different theme. Themes consisting of Cowboy, Underwater, 70's, 80's, 90's, Neverland, Boy, Girl, Winter, Summer, Blue, crème, eggshell, and more.

The fourth floor was my parent's room on the right side looking out the front of the house and my room on the left looking out to the back yard. My parent's room is plain, wood floors, white walls, only a bed, alarm clock, and clothes in the closet. They don't spend much time there, only to sleep and change clothes, besides they don't even sleep here anymore.

My room is my favorite room. On the right when you walk through the door is the bed area. The wide arch way leads to a white furry floor, the walls are a dark purple, against the wall in the middle is a giant king sized four poster bed, with light curtains, black comforter with white stars, a moon and a wolf as wolves are my favorite animals, dark wood nightstands and a lamp and alarm clock. The walkway from the door is red wood and straight from the door is my big comfy window seat. Can't tell you how many times I fell asleep there. On each side of the door was shelves ceiling to floor of my favorite books, only one was filled with books and the other was filled with decoration. On the left is my closet, its gigantic. It would be Alice's dream closet. And my bathroom off to the other side of my closet is tiled with turquoise marble, like the oceans water, the walls a sand color, the counter with my porcelain sink is multi colored with brown white and tan. A porcelain toilet with a white cover, a pebble shower and a rock Jacuzzi bathtub with a radio installed into the wall.

The Basement is my second favorite room; yes it is just one room. I call it The Dojo. It is where I learned to fight and protect myself. I hired a teacher, or sensei, to teach me to do karate and other fighting techniques. I say I can handle myself very well. Beat my own teacher well, and he is in the highest rank of all his fighting styles, that's why I hired him of course, I can't beat him all the time, oh no, but a few times I have, but it was probably because I'm as sly as a fox, as ruthless as a wolf, and as agile as a cat. Meow. Yeah I can make _myself_ laugh. But sometimes, I'm clumsy, really clumsy; mostly at the most inconvenient time. The only reason I'm not clumsy all the time is because I worked to become slightly balanced.

The last floor is the attic. I've never been to the attic but the door is hidden on the fourth floor were nobody but me knows, I've searched the house from head to toe finding a few secret doors, but I've never even tried to get to the attic, I think there's going to be a mummy up there that will give me a quest while breathing green fog; yes from _Percy Jackson_. But it's not like I could go up there anyway it was locked, though not like I couldn't if I tried, I could always pick the lock. I was always a bit of a rebel.

Heading to the library to sit in the peace area from my room after picking up _Twilight_ from my shelf, I stopped in front of the hidden door, it was small and behind one of the fake plants in the hallway and a picture of a lake that reminded me of the La Push first beach. It blended in with the wall, the only reason I found it was because I tripped, Remember, athletic but not very coordinated. Feeling adventurous I pulled a couple of hair pins from my blonde bun letting it fall into a ponytail; I started wiggling the pins in the lock. It didn't take long because of the old make of the lock; opened the door and the wind shifted dust making me cough.

Opening the door wider I crawled in the opening it was seven feet long, two feet tall and about one and a half feet wide. It wasn't very hard to get in being about 5'2, much to my immense displeasure. After crawling the seven feet I came to a little opening I could stand up in and started up the stairs. After the twenty seven stairs I came to the dark wood door, trying to open the door finding it was locked, I got my pins and set to work. After five minutes frustrated I kicked the door mumbling to myself, I pinned my hair back that fell in my face, coming undone from the hair tie. Then I tried to push the door open with my meager strength, hoping it would break open from age.

Still not budging I growled at it through my teeth. "Would you just open already." Hoping it would just magically open, I waited.

Glaring at the door bringing my foot up, I kicked the corner of the door subbing my toe. Hopping around swearing to my heart's content I heard a click. Stopping I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, things like this happened in movies and something bad always happens. Peaking in I saw the coast was clear of mummy fortune tellers and stepped in.

In the attic, covered in dust, were chairs, tables, chests, sewing equipment, and more, I think I even see a sword. Setting _Twilight_ by a box covered by a lace black kerchief, I walked up to the sword I saw the blade wasn't dull and had no rust. The hilt was plain black leather and had some gray wrapping around it, slightly undone. Swinging it around I had no idea how to use it, only what I saw on the TV. Acting as the fourth musketeer, I swished and stabbed at the invisible assailants. Turning around swinging the sword it hit a torso mannequin slicing through fabric and wood. Eyes wide and jaw dropped I attentively placed the sword back in its place on the stand with no sheath. Turning I search to see more of the treasure I had found.

I went to the box _Twilight_ was by on one of the tables and took off the kerchief, it was white and had very beautiful intricate designs of off colored pinks and oranges and in the middle was a gorgeous fairy. The fairy had shining hair that seemed to change colors as well as her skin and eyes. Her dress was covering just enough, in plain white that sparkled and in the light, like diamonds, changing color. I picked it up carefully and realized it was hand painted. i Set it back down not wanting to break it from my on again off again clumsiness. I slid my slim finger to the corner of the box, opening it. The music that came to me was different; sharp, smooth, and mystical just like the fairy. Sitting on a spring was the fairy from the lid in 3D; carved from wood, or sculpted from clay, yet even more beautiful. Inside were four pieces of jewelry, a necklace, a hair barrette, a ring, and earrings.

The necklace was a net-ish design and comprised of pearls and gems. If I was a pirate, this would be the first thing I'd steal. The barrette had a rainbow butterfly that seemed to move its wings and twisting around it and to both sides was metal wire in simple yet magnificent designs. The ring was a silver band of medium width, not thick not thin, and appeared to imitate a mood ring with all the colors it changed. The earrings were the simplest of them all and a dangerous appeal with all the sharp points and curls.

The whole thing seemed to be a dream. Behind the music box was an ordinary wooden box with the lid lifted up slightly from over flowing contents. Inside were four shiny leather bound big books. One black, one mahogany brown, one crimson, and the last dark purple. All were blank inside and out.

The slow music all of a sudden started getting erratic. Backing away from the table I backed into another, it tipped over sending the trinkets that had laid on top, cluttering to the floor. My head snapped around almost getting whip lash when all of a sudden the music stopped. Starring for a while I inched closer. As I reached out to close the box my hand brushed the fairy, who I declared as a she. The fairy moved of course, being on a spring, but she seemed to move more than she should be able to. Having immobile limbs, being carved from what I thought a hunk of wood from a tree, they shouldn't move right. But they were, ever so slightly, it was captivating. Then there was a screeching, almost too high to hear, making it all the more painful, getting a migraine.

Covering my ears and crouching down, face buried in my legs, I waited for it to stop. It just got louder, like it was in my head. One of my dreams, which I chose to do today, came to mind. _I want to go on an adventure._ Falling to the ground as my legs could no longer hold me, I waited to feel the floor, and it never came. I was falling in a black abyss.

I hit water. Holding my breath my eyes shot open. Seeing clear blue liquid I looked down, sand covered the floor. A fish swam by my face, a plain brown fish. As I moved my head to look up the fish darted away. I swam to the top as I concluded it was, based on the fact it was shiny like the sun was beaming down on it. Reaching the surface, I saw mountains and cliffs enclosing the large body of water. The mountains were so far away, I'd drowned before I got there. Looking to the other side I saw a beach, still far but not too far.

I started swimming to the shore using the breast stroke, doggy paddle, as well as swimming underwater. I got to the beach after about six minutes of intense swimming, it would have been about ten for a regular person but I swim almost every day in my backyard pool. Reaching the beach I laid my head down on the sand, feeling the water try to pull my legs back in, I closed my eyes, resting. After awhile shade covered my face letting me know someone wanted me to acknowledge their presence. Opening my eyes I saw tan feet clad in sandals.

Turning to lay on my back I looked at the female. Not able to see her face due to the sun, I smiled sheepishly at her. I didn't know if this was a private beach or what.

"Hello." I smiled.

"Hi," she laughed, I liked her laugh it was nice. Whoa I think I held my breath to long. "What are you doing laying there?"

"Oh, you know, just checking the temperature." I narrowed my eyes trying to look at her through the sun.

"And how is it?" You could hear the smile in her voice.

"Cold." I grinned as she laughed; I like making people laugh, but what I was so happy about was that I was making a friend.

"I bet." The stranger tilted her head at me. "What are you doing swimming at this time? It only just finished raining. You'll catch a cold."

"Err. I don't know really." I finally got up and tried to wipe my hands on my pants, but only got more sand on them. Wrinkling my nose I heard her laugh.

"My name's Emily Young. What's yours?" I froze. No, it's not the Emily from New Moon, it's not possible, I'm just tired and I read too much fantasy. I looked at her face and sure enough I saw three scars running down her face making her almond shaped right eye pull down and pulled her mouth in a permanent grimace. Yet, she was still beautiful. She had satiny copper skin and long, straight black hair. "Are you ok?"

"Oh yea," Snapping out of it I answered her question. I didn't want her to think I was staring at her scars, when really, I'm shocked that I might be in a different universe; inside a book. "My name is Ravenelle."

"What a nice name. What about your last?" She questioned.

"Don't have one," I confessed. "It's just Ravenelle."

"You don't have parents, guardians?" Her brows were knitted together and her brown eyes were concerned.

_Not really,_"No." it wasn't really a lie. They were never there so I had no parents. And I disowned them, so no last name.

"So do you have anywhere to live?" I saw a sparkle in her eye. I even knew what that look was, she had an idea. I could almost see the light bulb above her head.

_Not here in this world,_ "No." I watched her attentively.

She grabbed my wrist and walked to a tan bag. She picked it up and turned to me. "Is this yours?"

I didn't see any one else around so I thought it was the universe giving me some sort of belongings. _So I guess,_ "Yeah." If it's not, it is now.

She walked to a car, which was through the trees on the side of the road. She walked me to the passenger's side of the car and went and got in the driver's seat. I buckled my seat belt and turned to her.

"I thought you were from Forks since you were so pale, didn't know you were an orphan." She mumbled mostly to herself.

"I can take care of myself." I mumbled back. She smiled still looking at the road.

"And how old are you?" She asked.

"I'm seventeen." I said with pride as I straightened my back and my chin up.

"Still a minor." She stated, and I pursed my lips.

"I'm still alive aren't I?" I countered. "Hence, being able to take care of myself."

"I'm not going to let you camp out in the forest." She said flatly. I shivered, I knew what she meant. She was talking about nomad vampires. I also didn't want a gigantic wolf watch me sleep. I had now chosen to believe that I was in a book because that's more interesting.

"So," I pondered waiting for her to answer. She wasn't going to have me live with her was she? She couldn't. Sam Uley is a shape shifter, or as he thought he was, a werewolf. He could expose his secret to me and then they would be in trouble. So they think. Not like I don't know already. But they didn't know that.

"I'll make arrangements for you." She nodded her head as to confirming to her thought. "I'm certainly not having you go to an orphanage." I shivered at that. No thank you. "When we get to the house you will clean yourself up while I make some calls."

I touched my hair and felt the tangles and bits of sand fell from it. _Wait, is my hair black! Did this universe change my appearance?_ I looked down and saw I still had my same clothes on, but they seemed a bit baggy and I had no shoes. I clutched the bag and promised myself I would look through it when I was alone.

As we got to the house, she led me to the bathroom teaching me how to turn on the water to the shower and left me to it. I used her Fruit smelling shampoo and conditioner, the apple scented body wash, and I wondered if Sam used it. I got a towel dried myself off wrapped it around myself and looked in the mirror and was shocked.

I had silky black locks of hair cascading down my face and back, reaching almost to my butt, in strange curls and waves, like a waterfall, which I quite liked, replacing my dirty blonde hair of lifelessness that used to be flat on my head strait with a curl-out at the end. My eyes were still mine, the thing I liked most about myself, light green eyes, they were even more beautiful with my onyx hair, and seemed like they could glow in the dark. I still had my pale skin but it was even more pale than usual, still had my small strait nose and full lips. I smiled to myself and my teeth were pearl white, I never liked to brush my teeth but I still did, only when I get up and an hour before bed, never like the taste if I did it right before bed. I was still short, and much to my distaste shorter, 4 foot 9 inches, used to be 5 foot 2 inches, yes still short but still taller than I am now. I was very, let's say petite, like really skinny, which I absolutely did not like, yet I still had curves and breasts. I had more of an athlete's body before which was my kind of perfect; all in all, I looked _fragile_.

With my skin I think I could pass off as a vampire, as well as my beauty. I could be Rosalie in the movies back at home, I giggled to myself at that then scowled as I thought that I would be way to short, maybe Alice. I would have to be cautious when I go down stairs not wanting any mistakes to happen with the pack. I would have to have them see my eyes first. No gold, no red; green. I didn't want it to go by smell, I mean I think they're motto would be '_kill first, ask questions later'._

Before I get out of the bathroom I went to the tan bag, and I needed clothes. I opened the flap from the Velcro and pinched the closer thing, pulling it down the string to open the bag. Putting my two point fingers in the opening I pulled my fingers apart and looked inside.

There was a pair of underwear, panties and bra, one of my solid purple long sleeved Areopostle shirts, dark wash skinny jeans that fit me very well, my diagonal striped black and white cat skelanimal hoodie from hot topic, as well as my black and purple striped socks and my purple and white converse, all of which I put on.

It had my credit card from my universe. My driver's license. All just said Ravenelle; yes with lots of money you can get what you want. There was my purple brush and black comb, which I used for my hair. My Victoria Secret Forever Sunshine perfume which I sprayed once and walked through.

It was 2005, now going back in time was kind of a bad thing. I had my iPhone 4. I guess I could call it a prototype. I was still the same age, which was a good thing.

Then the last thing was the shiny black leather bound journal that had been in the wooden box. On the cover was the necklace from the fairy music box on the neck of the fairy, I could tell because of the flawless ever changing skin and hair, I would tip it up and down, and all around and it would change, like on the cards that were bumpy and felt weird, but it felt smooth. The face of the fairy did not show neither did the torso, only the neck and jaw. Opening the journal on the first page was the title, 'Shine'.

On the next page it said all that had happened to me since I got here and a bit about me, only 5 pages were filled. I gently closed the book and grinned from ear to ear. I was really in the book, this was too real to be a dream, yet I was a little scared, vampires could try to suck me dry.

Was I going to see the Cullen's? Yes, I would make sure of it. Are they going to find out that I know about them? Eventually. Were they going to know I was from a different universe? Hopefully not, how would I explain that? How was I going to explain the stuff I know was going to happen before it did and they caught me? I'll tell them I'm psychic, not like that's a lie I get déjà vu all the time. I dream about it but I don't really get it or remember it until it happens.

I walked down the staircase one step at a time not wanting to be mistaken for what I'm not; I came to the small living room and hear movement in the kitchen and the smell of cookies. My mouth watered, I always wanted to try Emily's cooking, it sounded so good in the book, it smelt even better then I imagined. Emily came out of the kitchen smiling with five chocolate chip cookies on a plate and a glass of milk.

I thanked her and ate two cookies when I heard the screen door open; I turned my head and saw a very, very tall man, (but everyone to me was tall, except maybe baby's - 6 year olds) with big muscles, copper skin, cropped black hair and brown eyes. He wasn't wearing a shirt and had pants that cut off from the knee, just like the book said. He did not have a tattoo, and he was even more handsome then Chaske Spencer. He studied me as I studied him; he was tense so I looked him in the eye wanting him to see my eyes. Shouting in my mind that I'm human so please don't bite my head off. As soon as he saw my eyes he seemed to relax and then he saw Emily, the book did, what I saw, no justice.

The look in his eyes, I saw what love looked like. I was jealous. I wanted that love, I wanted to be loved. I looked away and went back to eating feeling that I was intruding. I heard Sam walk up to Emily and kiss her. They exchanged greetings and talked about my situation, then Sam sat in the chair across from me.

I smiled at him showing him my pearly whites and reached out my hand. "Hello I'm Ravenelle."

His hand enclosed over mine, it was burning hot, but I was expecting this, even if it was hotter than I thought it would be. "Sam Uley." His voice was deep and calm. He cracked a smile like he couldn't hold it. Maybe my excitement was flowing out of me and he felt it, so he had to smile.

"Nice to meet you." Even if I already knew about him and his name it was nice to know him in person. He nodded his head and Emily put down a few cookies for him and a glass of milk and sat next to him. They exchanged looks as I felt my jealousy surface again, I couldn't help it, I wanted that, I needed that.

Emily looked at me and smiled. "I talked to Chief Charlie Swan and its settled," Hearing the name I raised an eyebrow. "You're staying with him." And I had to hold my jaw from dropping. I was going to stay with Charlie, with Bella? I tried to keep my excitement contained and nodded. "I would have had you stay here but there's some family issues we have to deal with." Yea I know; the wolf thing. "If you get your things Charlie will be over to get you after he sees Billy Black."

I jumped up and carried the bag with me I had brought down from the bathroom, said goodbye, and went outside to wait on the porch, which was only a step. While I waited I surveyed the house. The house was tiny and had once been gray. There was only one narrow window beside the weathered blue door. The window box under the window was filled with bright orange and yellow marigolds, giving off a cheerful feel. I watched the narrow dirt road leading from the high way and saw Charlie's police cruiser coming down the road before I heard it. I have better eyes then ears, I can always see things that other people can't.

I got in the car and put the bag by my feet; I turned to Charlie and reached my hand out to him. "Hi I'm Ravenelle, nice to meet you."

~Shreba


	2. First Time Seeing Them

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight which belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do own Ravenelle and the music box. No copyright infringement is intended.

My Time to Shine!

~2~

'_First Time Seeing Them'_

I talked to Charlie about myself on the car ride to his house. That I was an 'orphan' but I could take care of myself. That what I wished for most was friendship and love, I left out. I asked if anyone was living with him and he said his daughter was coming to live with him, he was so happy about it. I asked if I would be a bother and he said if I was he wouldn't have agreed to let me stay with him. We left it at that. Charlie's house from what he told me was three bedroom, that was not so in the book. Did it change for me? I wondered if anything else changed.

We made it to Charlie's small two story house, in one piece. The red Chevy truck, _the thing_, as Bella called it, which is there when she arrives, was not. Charlie led me to a room on the east side facing the small, square yard. Across from me would be Bella's room.

It was used as a storage room, Charlie had told me and he cleaned it out before he came to get me, got a bed and bed stand. I wondered how long I was in the shower; he left as I walked around the room. There was a window seat the best part, Bella doesn't even have a window seat, maybe in the movie but not in this universe. It had a wooden floor, and maroon walls. It didn't have much else. I would just use the internet from my phone to get what I need and have it delivered. I hope my credit card works here, thought if it didn't why was it here?

I went across the room to Bella's bedroom peaking inside. It was on the west side of the house and it faced out over the front yard. It had a wooden floor and light blue walls and a window with yellow laced curtains. It had an old pine dresser, a desk with a second hand computer as well as a rocking chair. It seemed Bella was coming soon.

"Charlie, when is Bella coming?" I asked startling Charlie from his game.

"Three weeks." I grinned at him and he cracked a smile silently forgiving me for scaring him.

"Tomorrow we can go shopping for some curtains; I have to run an errand anyway." Charlie suggested. I plopped next to him on the cream colored couch and looked at the television.

"Yea sure, but I can get a lot of stuff from the internet you know." I looked him in the eye still grinning. "And I can pay for it all myself."

He smiled even wider at me, liking the company while watch the game. I couldn't follow it if my life depended on it. So I got out my cell and started ordering.

I ordered a dark wood desk and dresser, a dark purple comforter, some neon pink pillows as well as black. I ordered a lot of clothes, mostly from hot topic, some from Areopostle. A bunch of converse shoes, a comfy computer desk chair. I ordered a computer and wireless connection. I ordered some black and purple curtains just in case. I got some skelanimal plushies and a couple of Gir. I got a backpack that was purple and black. All of the stuff would be arriving throughout the week; most of the clothes arrived tomorrow, paid extra for it. I would just get the toiletries from the store instead of curtains.

"What kind of phone is that?" Charlie asked curious as he had never seen one like it.

"A prototype." I said nonchalantly not looking up from the screen.

"What are you doing?" He looked over my shoulder. I was currently looking for a stereo and some CD's I could listen to and then I would look for a chair I could put in my room I could sit in to read. That reminded me, next I would by shelves and a bunch of books.

"Looking for stuff to buy." He nodded satisfied and went back to his game, the commercials were over.

I looked on my phone and saw it was Friday. The time was eight-forty two so I went to the kitchen that adjoined to the family room. It had an old square oak table with three un-matching chairs. The kitchen cabinets were bright yellow. I got some leftover pizza that was on the counter and put the other leftovers in the fridge. I went upstairs to my room saying goodnight to Charlie tired from my long and eventful day. I finished the pizza before I went in my room. I discarded my hoodie on the end of the bed; I plopped down on it got under the covers and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

My eyes closed as I waited, hoping that all of what I went through wasn't just a dream. I didn't even get to see the Cullen/Hales or the rest of the pack. Slowly opening one eye I peaked around the room. Bare maroon walls. Grinning, I jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs in the clothes I fell asleep in.

In the kitchen I opened the fridge to make me and Charlie breakfast but there was nothing in the fridge. Guess there's a few errands to run. I didn't want pizza so I would just have to wait.

Charlie came down the stairs while I was looking at the pictures above the small fireplace. "You ready to go?" His brown hair was brushed and he was wearing a button up shirt and old jeans.

"Yea," We walked out the door to the cruiser. "You know you have nothing to eat, right?"

He looked embarrassed. "I know, I don't know how to cook so I usually order in or go to the dinner."

"Well I can cook." He nodded and it was settled, we would go to the store to get groceries before we go back to the Swan residence. "So what errand are we doing?"

Charlie smiled. "Going to go get Bella's car. Jacob, that's my friend Billy Black's son; Its Billy's old truck. Jacob could have driven it to the house but now that you're here you could just drive it and it would be bad to let a kid with no driver's license to bring it." He all of a sudden looked concerned. "You can drive right, and have a driver's license?"

I laughed. "Yes Charlie."

He relaxed. "Then you could teach Bella how to use it. It an old car so there has to be a few tricks to get it to work." I smiled; apparently it was supposed to work fine.

When we got to Billy's house there were two people waiting out front. One was heavyset had a heavily wrinkled face and russet skin, black long hair and black twinkling eyes. He sat in a wheelchair, Billy Black. The other, who was to be Jacob, had long, glossy black hair in a ponytail, and chocolate brown eyes, beautiful russet skin, and was thin and lanky. He was about five foot nine inches tall. And he was going to get six feet seven, gosh dang these wolves.

I hoped that me seeing Jacob wouldn't change anything. "Hi'llo I'm Ravenelle."

He grinned making me grin back; this boy really did have the power of the sun. "Jacob Black." His hand didn't engulf mine, yet. "So you're the girl Charlie's got stuck with."

"Yep and I don't think he can stand me." We laughed and kept talking as we walked to the Chevy red truck.

"How old are you?" He asked after we went in the house as Charlie and Billy sat down to watch a game.

I stuck my chin up. "Seventeen, you," even if I already knew his age it was polite to ask. His brow shot up. "And don't you dare compare my height to my age." He laughed but seemed a bit sad.

"Fifteen." He jumped up on the counter sitting on it and patted the marble beside him. I jumped up next to him and we continued to talk about everything and nothing. He was so outgoing, he was the second friend I made, here. I had one friend back at home and it was a neighborhood dog, but it was still a friend. Ha. I made another furry friend.

All of my clothes got here by Sunday, as well as the dresser and desk, they came at the same time because I ordered them from the same company. The comforters came on Saturday and so did the curtains, the plushies came Monday.

Charlie agreed to let me go to school when Bella did. I didn't want any of what happened to change in the first chapter, did I want anything to change, yes. Like Bella running off to James like a mad woman, but other things, no. Maybe not even when Jasper attacks Bella, I don't think Jacob would allow Bella to Change or even meet Renesmee if it didn't. I wanted to keep things as close to the book as possible.

Everything I ordered arrived by the time Bella came. Right now I was waiting for Charlie to get here with her. I was so excited to meet her. I was very excited to go to school tomorrow as well.

Charlie let me use the truck since I didn't have a car to use. It was freaking slow. I ran grocery runs and other errands in it. I didn't even dare to go to Port Angeles in it. It would have most likely taken me two hours to get there. I was used to cars that went up to at least two hundred. So I did a very shameful thing and took Charlie's car, he gave me permission, but I was very tempted to use the siren. I got books, a few CD's, some more clothes, school supplies and more toiletries.

I loved that I didn't need to wear make-up. I didn't really need to in my universe but I looked better with it on, here I already looked perfect. Well, my perfect. What I didn't like was that I was still _really_ skinny, and I've eaten a lot. I guess I just have a really fast metabolism.

What I liked most about these three weeks was that Charlie adopted me. I couldn't go to school really if I belonged not even to the state, he told me he had been thinking about doing it and that this was some kind of sign.

I wondered if Bella would be ok with this. I always wanted a sibling and now I have Bella. What made it all the better, was I had a dad that spent time with me.

I heard the doors too the cruiser open and close. I nervously played with the sides of my pants as I waited for them to enter through the do. When they did, I smiled.

I don't know why Bella didn't think she was pretty, she was beautiful, more so then Kristen Stewart. I didn't like the way she portrayed Bella, but I liked her in other movies, same with Robert Pattinson.

She had very fair-skin, with long, straight, dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Her face is heart-shaped—a wide forehead with a widow's peak, large, wide-spaced eyes, prominent cheekbones, a thin nose and a narrow jaw with a pointed chin. Her lips are a little out of proportion, a bit too full for her jaw line. Her eyebrows are darker than her hair and straighter than they are arched. She's slender but not at all muscular. She was five foot four inches. She has stubby fingernails because she has a nervous habit of biting them. She is very accident prone might I add, like me.

I smiled at her walked up and hugged her. She awkwardly hugged back due to my height. When I pulled away I saw she was smiling. I grabbed a suitcase and lead her to her room Charlie following behind. When we got to her room I put the suitcase by the door, smiled at her and went to my room, Charlie leaving as well. In the book she wanted to be alone, a non hover zone. I shut the door slightly.

When I went in my room I went and got _my_ book. There were ten pages filled. Five more than last time I looked. Well not really much happened. It filled me in on what I did the past three weeks and about my meeting with Jacob that was what filled most of the five pages. When I finished I picked up the rug I got from an errand run. It was black with flowers, stems, and leaves; that was light purple tuning to a dark purple in different places. I picked up a floorboard that I had pulled up with a crowbar when Charlie was at work and lightly placed the book in the opening and set it back in it rightful place.

A few minutes later a knock reached my ears, sitting on my bed with the dark purple comforter and neon pink and black pillows nicely placed, as I was reading my new book of The Giver; I liked to brush up on books that I have already read sometimes. I told whoever it was that it was safe to enter and Bella cautiously walked in. I put the bookmark in the book on the page I was on and set the book on the nightstand beside me giving her my full attention. I sat Indian style and pat the place in front of me. She sat down carefully, like she was afraid to mess up the bed.

"So you're Ravenelle." She stated. I nodded letting her continue. "My sister." She said it slowly like she was scared it would no longer be true. I grinned and nodded. She smiled rather big. "I always wanted a sibling."

I hugged her as tight as I could. "So did I." She hugged me back tightly. We started talking about ourselves. She told me she was clumsy which I in turn told her I was as well. She told me about her mom. About how she didn't like it here and hated going back and forth between her parents when she was younger, how much she loved the sun, and why she was here. She told me a bit about her childhood, she didn't have many friends growing up and when she moved to Phoenix, Arizona from California she was even less popular. She told me a little about Phil Dwyer, her stepfather.

Most I already knew, some I didn't. Like when she was four she fell over a blade of grass and broke her arm and got a concussion, when she was eleven she fell into a classmate causing a domino effect. When she was fifteen she was so nervous her first time driving, she almost crashed the car into the abandoned store wall in an empty lot. She told me why she didn't want the window seat room saying she was afraid she would fall out of it.

I told her about a few of my clumsy stories of ridiculousness, that when I was fifteen I almost ran into a grave in a cemetery thinking the gas pedal was the brake. We talked until eight o'clock when I told her we had a big day tomorrow.

"This made me feel a lot better about staying here." She confessed.

I smiled knowingly. "I won't be the only reason that makes you want to stay." I hugged her good night. "Night sis."

She beamed at me saying it back. "Night sis." She walked out of the room shutting the door and then I heard hers shut.

I got in my pajamas consisting of cute black pj pants and a white tank top, I set my alarm clock to six wanting to shower so I didn't smell to anyone when I went to school and got into bed. As I waited to fall asleep I thought about what would happen and how to figure out if Edward could read my mind. I eventually fell asleep, wondering about what might happen tomorrow.

When I got up I got some clothes and hurried to the shower, I used my Herbal Essence Citrus Lift shampoo and conditioner and my dancing waters body wash from Victoria Secret. I quickly shaved and got out drying myself off. I used my Lacoste's touch of pink perfume, it smells of flowers, maybe some jasmine, and somewhat citrusy. I love it. I dried and brushed my hair not needing to do it in any style loving my natural curly and wavy hair.

I wore a white tank top that went down over the top of my skinny dark washed jeans and a purple and black slashed top over my tank. I wore my new black, gray, and neon pink plaid hi top converse shoes wearing them over my one neon green and one neon blue socks and jeans. When I looked at my phone I had brought with me, I saw it was six thirty and shoved it in my pocket.

I went and knocked lightly on Bella's door, hearing no answer I peaked in the door and saw a long lump, in the light green comforter that I bought for her, in her bed. I smirked and ran and jumped on her bed. She was startled awake looking at me trying to remember where she was.

"Sleep well?" I showed her my teeth as she smacked me with her white pillow. She mumbled about not wanting a sister if it meant this. "Its six thirty five, get your pale, skinny butt up."

"You do know your paler _and_ skinnier then me, right?" she told me as she got out of her bed. "When's your birthday?"

"September nineteenth, why?" I tilted my head at her as she looked in her closet for something to wear, she pulled out a long sleeve, plain old, once navy colored shirt and some old jeans and I wrinkled my nose, why does she have to wear that old stuff, the jeans wear faded like they had been worn a lot and the navy color almost a light blue.

"I had to know if I was older then you, I'm not going to be the younger sister of someone so mature." She said it so sarcastically; I didn't know Bella was so fun. I walked out the door waiting for her to get dressed and got my backpack, when I walked out of the room she just walked out of hers. She had showered before going to sleep she told me as we walked down the stairs.

Breakfast was not quite like in the book, I talked, making them talk as well about anything. Bella grabbed her black jacket and put on her black boots, Charlie left before us and we walked out the door, she locked it and we walked to the truck. I got in the driver's side being asked to drive as I knew where the school was.

The school, like most of the other things was just off the highway, Forks high school is very small and consists of only three hundred and fifty-seven—now fifty-nine—students, everyone knows each other. It was a collection of matching houses in maroon bricks with flat roofs. The buildings were camouflaged by so many trees and bushes that it was impossible to know how big the school is.

The first building in the grounds had a sign over the door reading 'Front office' it was adjacent to the parking lot, and can be reached by a little stone path lined with dark hedges. To move from classroom to classroom you would have to withstand the rain till you got to a door that had an overhang covering the door two feet from the wall. On each building on the exterior there were white squares painted on the east corner with bold black numbers

The cafeteria was said to be in the center of the campus, seeing from just the outside from the door of the office I saw a building longer than others with hardly-used picnic benches on the south side outside. There was an overhang larger than the ones covering the classrooms providing more shelter. I would have to wait to see the gym.

Walking into the office what I saw was a fairly small room, with a little waiting area that had padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttered the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter. There was a door off to the side and the sign above it said 'Nurse'. Behind one of the three desks was a large, red haired woman wearing thick black framed glasses and a purple shirt. I stayed a bit behind Bella, hidden.

Mrs. Cope, as I knew her to be, looked up. "Can I help you?"

"We're Isabella and Ravenelle Swan." Bella informed her, she had a light in her eye spark, well isn't she a gossip girl, never actually watched that. She also appeared to be looking for me as she looked on both sides of Bella. Coming out from behind her I smiled my charming smile that always seemed to get me what I want. She smiled back completely taken with me. Who wouldn't be, I'm adorable.

She gave us three papers each, one a map of the school, one our schedules, the other a sign slip. She highlighted the best routes for both of us to take and let us be on our way. When we got in the truck again, Bella driving this time, we followed the line of cars. I then compared our schedules.

I only had two classes with Bella, Government second period, lunch but everyone had that at the same time and it wasn't a class, though I would have an A if it was. Then it was gym last and seventh period. Her other classes, in order other than the ones I've said was English, trigonometry, Spanish, then lunch, then biology.

My classes were Spanish with Mrs. Goff first period, which I hated, why so early in the day, then Government with Mr. Jefferson, Art with a Mrs. Valentien, and English with Mr. Mason. Then it was off to lunch. Fifth period is Chemistry with Mr. Brosher, and Gym with Coach Clapp.

"We only have two classes together." I notified Bella, Her face fell.

"What classes?" She questioned.

"Government and gym." I started laughing. "Won't we be a pair? We should were a sign around our necks in gym saying 'Caution, Disaster Sisters'."

When we parked we got out of the truck laughing. I grabbed my bag stuffing the papers in it and we went separate ways to get to class, before I left the lot I saw it, the silver Volvo. I sucked my breath, I was excited. When I got to Spanish building ten, I wrinkled my nose at the door and walked in hanging my jacket on one of the hooks lined on the wall.

I walked to the teacher and gave her the slip. She read my name and looked at me, when she saw me she smiled. Let's not pity the adopted girl, and let's celebrate it. She pointed me to the only empty seat to sit in. The classroom was small, bigger than the office but still small. The desks were just like regular school desks as were the chairs. I pulled out my maroon seat and set my bag on the light wood desk. The walls were off colored white and the floors an ugly brown. This was going to be a long period. To make it better I introduced myself to the girl; with straight brunette hair, blue eyes, and pale skin, next to me whose name was Lanea and talked to her.

When the bell rang it was like it had a cold. It was dull and muffed and it droned on for more than it had to. I walked to building six for government, entering the room I saw Bella, sitting next to her I started chatting away asking her about her first class. I knew the people around us were listening. I then introduced myself to them and then class started.

The rest of my classes to lunch were much of the same, introducing, talking, getting to know people, and listening to the teacher some. The lunch room was white, tiles and walls and tables alike. I walked over to where Bella was waving and sat down after getting my lunch, with Angela who I sat next to in my art class. This was it, the big moment, I get to see _them_. Turning around and sure enough they were there as far away from my table as they could be, near the door. I noticed Bella follow my gaze and she stared as well.

They were all more beautiful than the actors that portrayed them obviously. I loved Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, and Nikki Reed, but they just couldn't compete with them. Bella never went into great detail describing them because she couldn't tell you about how really truly beautiful they were. Neither could I but I'll try.

The first one I saw was Emmett McCarty Cullen. He was a giant, six feet five, with the muscles of a weight lifter that trained every day, in one flick of a finger he could throw me across a room even if he wasn't a vampire; he had dark curly hair that made Rosalie want to change him.

Second was Mary 'Alice' Brandon Cullen. Who sat next to him, was short yet taller than me by an inch, which made me feel wonderful, sarcasm noted. She really was pixielike, thin and small features, hair deep black and choppy short hair pointing every which direction.

Third, sitting on the other side of Emmett was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Rosalie Lillian Hale. She was tall, five foot nine, and statuesque. Her hair was golden and wavy to the middle of her back. Her body, all of her, was too good for any magazine.

Fourth, sitting next to Alice was Edward Anthony Mason Cullen. He was much smaller then Emmett in both height and bulk. He was six feet two, lanky with skinny long limbs, yet still had some muscle, untidy bronze colored hair pointing in every direction more so then Alice's. He was very boyish compared to the others.

Then last but not least, who made my heart skip a beat, was Jasper Whitlock Hale. He was the most beautiful, to me at least, than all the rest even if he did look awkward sitting there all tense. He was taller than Edward at six foot three, leaner, and more muscular. He had honey blonde hair reaching his chin that framed his face.

All where chalky pale, paler then me, who was, till now, the palest person in Forks. They all had dark gold eyes, their trade mark to me, and dark bruises under their eyes from never sleeping. All of them had straight, perfect, angular features.

I simply stared at Jasper dazzled who, like the others, was staring nowhere, looking away from everything, everyone. I didn't even notice Alice get up and walk out of the building, till Bella asked her question.

"Who are they?" She asked Jessica.

Jessica already knew who Bella was talking about, looked up anyway. Edwards face turned to look at Jessica, to us, and then faced back to his old position. Bella, embarrassed, dropped her eyes, I boldly stared back and started my plan I just came up with to see if he could read my mind. I didn't need to listen to Jessica; I already knew what she was going to say.

_So that's _Edward_._ I thought his name more clearly as if I was calling to him, which I was. No movement, possibly knowing I was thinking it I changed tactics, but I had to wait for one thing before I did. He never looked at Bella like he was supposed to; probably knowing I was staring at them.

"Apparently none of the girls are good-looking enough for him." She sniffed; I always smiled when I read that part, hearing it was no exception. I saw Edwards cheek lift slightly, then when back to emotionless.

Thinking about running up and trying to pull Edwards seat out from under him and still no reaction. After a bit he tuned to us and his face grew confused, Bella, once again looked away quickly. When I didn't look away he stared at me, I raised one of my thin eyebrows. He knitted his together and his confusion turned to frustration and he turned around, angry.

Grinning, I knew he couldn't read my mind. Doing a little dance in my head I watched as they got up and gracefully left, just from that I wondered why people didn't know they were different. I came to the conclusion that human brains where wired to believe that everything was normal to protect their sanity. So maybe mental patients were the ones who found out something that was true and the people were just too afraid to accept it, so they locked them away.

~Shreba


	3. Confusion

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight which belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do own Ravenelle and the music box. No copyright infringement is intended.

My Time to Shine!

~3~

'_Confusion'_

Bella and I went our separate ways after lunch. Bella would be wondering why Edward was acting the way he was; he would be trying not to kill her. When I got to Chemistry I saw the black topped lab tables and the three feet high stools with a back to it, I'm going to have a difficult time getting on them. When I gave my sign sheet to Mr. Brosher I saw the only seat left was next to the one and only, Jasper Hale.

When I got the sheet back I went to the desk, I saw that the stool was shoved all the way to the end. Stepping on the ledge that connected to all the legs I sat down and peaked at Jasper. He was gripping the edge of the desk so hard that I knew there were indents being created. His eyes were coal black and looking down at his stomach, he was not breathing. I was doing this to him.

The hair on the back of my neck and my arms stood on end. Every instinct I ever had was never as strong as this, it told me to run, as fast, as hard, and as long as I could. I had to fight myself from doing so. My back was tense as I was ready for anything, but I could not outrun a vampire, I could not fight him off, and I felt that if I left the room he would take the chance to follow me, having no witnesses. The class was the only chance I had at survival, I leaned as far away from him as possible careful not to blow any of my sent his way, hardly breathing.

I was doing this to him, I was hurting him so much, and I was challenging everything that he worked for. I don't think the humane side of him was going to win. I listened to nothing the teacher was saying; all my senses were alert and on him, like if you looked away from the predator to run he would jump, that's how it felt. Everything about his body said I was going to die. His jaw clenched visibly.

Its felt like it's been years. My whole body was sore from being tense but I dared not relax. I think showering this morning was a good idea, if I hadn't I don't think I would still be alive. I remembered Bella asked Edward if she didn't shower, that it would make it easier on him and he said it would just smell stronger.

I looked a Jaspers hands. _There inching closer! I'm going to die!_ All that I've been through, just seeing the Cullen's, and it was going to be by my favorite young Cullen/Hale vampire (by young I mean as in age they were frozen in, so not including Carlisle and Esme). Though, that actually made me feel, better and worse. Better because it was by Jasper, worse because after all those years of fighting it, me coming here, who isn't supposed to exist, in this thirty five minute class, it would be ruined.

He would even have to kill the whole class just to get away with it, then move away, the family following, making Edward never be with Bella. As Esteban from 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody' says, "THIS IS A DISASTOR!" I feel so bad, it's my entire fault.

Then it happened, the droning bell rung, Jasper was out the door before it even stopped. Breathing a huge sigh of relief I sucked in air, I was light headed from holding my breath most of the time. My head fell on the black top and I relaxed my limbs limply hanging.

"Are you ok Ms. Swan?" Mr. Banner asked making me fall out of the stool him catching me before I hit the ground. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled at me apologetically.

"I'm fine," I lied as I pushing away from him steadying myself. "Just a bad daydream."

He let me go off to my next class watching me leave. I was still alive. Jasper didn't kill me, I could tell from the pain in my whole being. Bella didn't have this hard of a time, though Jasper had a harder time controlling himself so I had to give him some credit. _But why was this happening?_

That whole experience was terrifying, I've never been so scared in my life, but I wanted to be closer to him. I sound like a masochist, that's what I am, a masochist. That was the only reasoning I could come up with.

Through all of this I found myself at the gym, it was a descent size to hold a dance. Coach Clapp got me a uniform which would be a little baggy. Bella came a minute later with Mike Newton following behind her like a loyal golden retriever. He was cute in a puppy way, he had blonde hair gelled into spikes, blue eyes, and a baby round face. Bella said 'ado' to Mike and came and sat by me, we didn't have to participate today, it was volleyball, and tomorrow they would wish we wouldn't have too.

We didn't talk to each other; I was thinking about what happened in my last class. Did I screw everything up for Bella and Edward just because I was here? No, Jasper didn't kill me but would they leave anyway.

Jasper wasn't like Edward; I don't think he would go off for a week, come back and make googly eyes at me. He's more of the person who would eliminate what threatened his family. Was I going to have to sleep with one eye open to know when I was going to die, It's not like I could stop it, and if I die what happens? Do I just go back to my universe, safe and sound, only knowing what it felt like to die or do I really die?

When Gym was over we went to the office to give Mrs. Cope our sheets and I completely forgot that Edward would be there. We stayed were we were listening to him argue with her about getting into a different class. The door opened again and a girl with dark blonde, not quite a light brown, hair and dark brown eyes walked through the door, put a note in a wire basket that was next to a flower pot and walk back out.

Edward's back stiffened and he slowly but surely turned to us glaring, his eyes full of hate. Now what did I ever do to him? He turned back to the red headed woman.

"Never mind, then," he said quickly, wanting to leave. "I can see that it's impossible. Thank you so much for your help." He turned and walked out the door without looking at us.

"Well isn't he nice and gentlemanly." I said sarcasm dripping from every word as I tilted my head every once in a while. Knowing that he heard me I walked up to the desk and we handed her are slip.

"How did your first day go, dears?" Mrs. Cope asked in a motherly voice.

"Spectacular." I said dully not even trying to be convincing.

"Fine," Bella said in a meek voice looking like a ghost. I grabbed her hand comfortingly and lead her out of the office to the truck, talking about my day, leaving out the Jasper part, on the way home as she listened all the while thinking about how I was to survive through the night. When we got to Charlie's Bella looked better than she had and I was grateful that I didn't think about what happened in Chemistry until it was time to go to bed. I didn't sleep very well that night but I wasn't killed.

For the rest of the week I went to school and neither Jasper nor Edward was there, but luckily the others were, so no leaving Cullen's, at least not now. The day after the _accident_ after class I went to the other side of my lab table and felt the indents that felt like they went halfway up the table. I got to know Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie, and Angela Webber and Jessica Stanley, I know Jessica wasn't really very nice but she was a good actress. Lauren Mallory wasn't very nice to us, sticking to her character to the book nicely. I got to know Tyler Crowley, who was particularly kind to us.

At home Bella always cooked, I sometimes helped when I had nothing to do. On the weekend, Charlie was never home, I did homework, drew in a book I got from the local store, and talked to Bella, even helped clean the house with her. On Sunday I looked at my book and saw there were twenty two pages filled, my encounter with Jasper was written in great detail making me have flashback, in turn, shivering. I realized how truly lucky I was to still be alive, but I couldn't help but yearn to see him, to be next to him; I'm such a masochist.

On Monday Edward was present lunch time, still no Jasper though. They were playing in the snow, the two girls were as far from Emmett as they could get when Edward threw a slush ball at him and he shook his head like a dog, getting it out, it was all for show. I don't get why Bella didn't get it then, she knew Edward was different then. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, they need acting lessons from Jessica.

"What are you staring at?" Jessica stole my attention, as well as Bella's; I saw when I turned to her. Edward's eyes snapped to us and Bella dropped her head. This girl needs to grow some _gahones_.

Edward's stare moved from Bella and to me more than once. I don't think he understood why I never looked away. He looked at me again and I grinned and waved, his lips twitched trying to hold back a smile, I turned around giving my attention to Bella.

The rest of the day went by quickly but I felt abandoned. _I wonder why._ I thought sarcastically my mind once again for the millionth time drifted to Jasper.

When it was time to leave I waited for Bella sitting in the truck on the passenger's side. Three cars down was the silver Volvo. Bella got in the truck looked around and suddenly snapped her head back. I smiled too Edward who was leaning against his car and waved, he in turn smiled back. I turned my head back around and waited for the sudden jolt of the breaks and tried not to brace myself. When it came I looked to Edward and saw him laughing at my sister's act of clumsiness and then we were home free.

The next day was clear but not sunny clear, Bella was in a hurry to get to school to see Edward. When we got there I saw her look at the tires and saw her tear up and I patted her shoulder. Then I knew I made a very crucial mistake. I forgot. It all came rushing back as I heard the screeching; the crash. It all happened so slowly, I saw Edward appear out of nowhere grabbing Bella pulling her down and I flung myself to the back of the truck, I was closer to the corner then Bella. I heard the crunching, glass falling harmlessly around me and whipped around seeing Bella from under the car looking at Edward suspiciously.

Bella's lips moved and I crawled under the car towards her. She then sat up quickly looking around frantically calling my name.

My head peaked out from under the truck. "Yes?" Startling her as she jumped in place, she pulled me into a tight hug. I looked at Edward who was looking at me with wide eyes. _Yea that's right, you forgot about me which could have got me killed._ Right then I wished he could have heard me.

"Are you ok?" Bella was frantic searching me for bodily harm. She saw that my pants were ripped but nothing else was wrong, that was probably the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me. Seeing I was alright she turned to Edward. "Will you promise me to explain everything to me later?" Remembering about her previous argument, she confronted Edward.

"Fine," He snapped suddenly angry.

"Fine," Bella said back angry as well.

"Fine," I chirped in feeling left out making them soften up and smile slightly.

Bella was put in a neck brace when Edward told on Bella, probably still angry with her and I said that I was fine other than a few scrapes. The school watched as Bella was loaded in the ambulance, me having to ride in the back so they could check-up on me even if I was said to be fine, also I was the sister so that gave me another reason to leave school. Edward rode up front.

I hummed, grinning as Bella scowled lying in the hospital bed. Tyler, who was in the next bed, was groveling to us. She closed her eyes ignoring Tyler not wanting to deal with him anymore.

Edward came gliding through the doors and stopped at the foot of Bella's bed, looking at me expectantly.

"Is she sleeping?" He was smirking when Bella eyes snapped open. Tyler started apologizing to Edward who interrupted him mid sentence. "No blood, no foul," My mouth copied which I closed shut when his gaze shifted to me. I tuned away from him looking at Bella. "So what's the verdict?"

I spaced off thinking about what would have happened if I didn't think as fast as I did and then glared at Edward remembering his act of heroism that didn't include me. I could have died.

I heard footsteps and turned my head seeing a young, blonde, very handsome doctor, had all of the vampire aspects. I kept my jaw from falling as Bella's did, who would blame her, I would have to if I wasn't prepared for it. He was more handsome then anyone I'd seen, _other than Jasper_. My mind whispered to me. I scowled to myself, I need to stop thinking about him, think about Alice. I love Alice.

I tuned in listening to what was being said. "Lucky Edward was standing next to me," Bella looked as Edward with hard eyes.

"No help to me." I grumbled under my breath, they heard and Edwards's eyes fell. I would let him stay guilty for a while. "Glad I have a quick witted brain, I am." His eyes turned frustrated as I smiled to Bella who agreed, really I was smiling to Edward's frustration, I got pleasure from my payback. I think I may be pushing it a bit, I might slip, but I was better at acting then them.

After awhile Bella and Edward walked out to the hallway, I followed after some time.

"You promised." I heard Bella confront weakly as I leaned against the wall around the corner.

"Bella, you hit your head, you don't know what you're talking about." He cut through her.

"There's nothing wrong with my head." Bella's voice was stronger, angrier.

"What do you want from me, Bella?" I could hear the glaring in his words.

"I want to know the truth, I want to know why I'm lying for you." Well I guess Bella can stand up for herself, I was starting to worry.

"What do you think happened?"

"All I know is that you weren't anywhere near me. Tyler didn't see you, either, and if I asked Ravenelle I bet she would say so too, so don't tell me I hit my head to hard. That van was going to crush us both, and it didn't, and your hands left dents in the side of it, and the van should have smashed my legs, but you were holding it up…" Bella trailed off, she may have sounded crazy but she was on the right track.

"You think I lifted a van off you?" He said with what sounded to be dull humor. "Nobody will believe that, you know."

"I'm not going to tell anybody."

"Then why does it matter?"

"It matters to me, I don't like to lie, I can't even get away with it with Rae – so there'd better be a good reason why I'm doing it."

"Can't you just thank me and get over it?"

"Thank you." She said quickly, waiting for Edward to speak again.

"You're not going to let it go, are you?"

"No."

"In that case… I hope you enjoy disappointment." There was silence and then Bella asked sounding as if she was about to cry, to someone else it would have sounded as if she was being cautious.

"Why did you even bother?"

I didn't care if he was my future brother in law and father of my niece; he wasn't going to get away with making her sad.

"I don't know."

I heard him walk toward me and he turned stopping when he saw me. I pushed of the wall and glared at him.

"If you ever make her cry, I'll make sure you pay." I brushed past him, not hearing him move from his spot I glanced back and saw him frozen, looking ahead.

I walked through the waiting room ignoring my schoolmates and hoped in the back of the cruiser then waved wildly out the window, smiling. When we got to the house I immediately when to my room and got _my_ book. Thirty six pages filled. I set it back and got into my comfy yellow ducky pants and my matching tee and slipped into bed dreaming about what happened today, only Jasper saved me.

When I woke up I angrily stopped to the shower doing my routine getting dressed and then flopped into one of the un-matching chairs. Bella sat across from me absently eating her cereal and then when she finished we went to school. Classes to lunch went by quickly and lunch was uneventful other than being crowded by students who were concerned about yesterday. I looked at the table and they were exactly like they were the first day, with the exception of Jasper who wasn't there. I wondered if he dropped out.

Chemistry was boring and Gym was clumsy filled. Then it was off to Charlie's to do homework, read, draw, or talk to Bella who, she told me, was being ignored by Edward. That's how the rest of the week and the week after that went.

On Monday after all of my classes I went to lunch and waited with Bella and the others in the line to get food. I got a chicken sandwich, salad, and a soda and sat down at our usual table. I glanced at the Cullen table like I usually did, stuck on a routine, went to eat the salad on my fork and then froze. Dropping the fork back on the tray I looked back over my shoulder and sucked in my breath, five were at the table. I squealed loudly in my head.

_He didn't drop out, he came back_. Jaspers eyes were a bright golden color. Turning my head around, I quickly finished my food and when I finished I froze. What was I doing, remember Alice. I dropped my head and sullenly grabbed my bag when it was time to go to classes and walked slowly to the building. When I was in front of the door I thought that I might as well get it over with, it's not like he was going to talk to me.

Going to my desk which was usually empty was now sitting Jasper. I hopped up on the stool like I usually did, put my elbow on the black top and set my chin in my palm, looking forward.

"Hello." Hearing his voice for the first time made my heart stop, it was magnificent, the southern drawl was easily heard and it was smooth and alluring. That wasn't the only reason my heart stopped, I wasn't expecting it at all and almost fell out of my chair.

Turning my head toward him I looked at him from under my long dark lashes. "Hello." I repeated back not able to think about another welcoming.

"My name is Jasper Hale." He looked back at me with eyes that were darker than they were in the cafeteria, but still light. "I apologize for not introducing myself before. I wasn't feeling well."

"'S ok." I puttered out and then kicked myself mentally for not being able to think of something more intelligible. "My name's Ravenelle Swan."

He smiled. "Nice to me you," It was very charming the way he talked.

When class started I looked forward trying to focus on the teacher and failing. Every once in a while I would peak at Jasper and he was staring at me the whole time. It's like all that I knew about Jasper went down the drain. The teacher was done lecturing before class ended which was like a dream come true. I turned my head to see Jasper still staring.

"Why?" I questioned and surprise lit up in his eyes.

"Why, what, may I ask?" He looked at me waiting for me to continue.

"Why were you gone?" It was almost like I was expecting him to come out and say it.

"Like I said, I was ill." He reminded me.

"For four weeks?" I interrogated. "What kind of sickness last that long? It was me wasn't it?"

He again was surprised. "What makes you say that?"

I laughed with no humor. "Well first of all you were sitting away from me as far as you could, gripping the desk when I sat by you with hate radiating from you like a nuclear bomb does radiation." I nodded and continued with my reasoning. "Then you were out of the class faster than I could blink."

"It wasn't you." He said as convincingly as he could. I almost believed him, but I knew better.

I looked at him concerned. "Are you ok now?" I wanted to ask if I was hurting him, but wouldn't that go well.

"Better then I was."

I smiled at him, happy about talking to him, not wanting class to end. I started laughing.

Eyes twinkling he looked at me in wonder. "What?"

"I keep expecting you to call me ma'am." We were both laughing; his laugh was the most amazing thing I've ever heard. It was strong yet sounded like bells, and his smile, it made me light headed.

The bell rang while we were laughing and I was considerably happier leaving the room then when I entered it, who would have thought. I did notice him tense sometimes but all in all it was comfortable. He walked me half way to the gym with light chatter and then we went separate ways.

When I got to gym; I had danced the rest of the way and while I was getting changed, and when I saw Bella I flew over the roof, jumping on her making us to fall down laughing. My weeks just got a lot more interesting.

~Shreba


	4. Visitors

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight which belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do own Ravenelle and the music box. No copyright infringement is intended.

My Time to Shine!

~4~

'_Visitors'_

The rest of the month was the happiest month of my life. In class Jasper would talk to me when we could and wrote notes when we couldn't, compared to my writing, which I thought was actually good, looked like chicken scratch next to his. I was falling for him, hard, and literally, but he always caught me. At home was more sullen then I would have liked, due to the Edward and Bella situation but I made her as happy as I could.

At school the group talked about going to La Push quite often, I was excited about going. Then I got asked to the spring dance when I thought it was girl's choice. I turned them all down, I can't dance due to my clumsy feet that are sometimes, much to my amazement, quick and precise, like at home, but coming here seemed to make me even clumsier.

On a Wednesday, I was sick so no school and slept most of the day, I guess it was because of all the cold rain, other people didn't get sick because they had immunity to the cold, build up over the generations. I was use to those nice sunny days. I got up not wanting to sleep anymore, chose a book from the bookcase and went across the room sitting on the chair. I jumped up from it, staring. Why was it so cold? It was colder than anything else in the room and the window was shut. Shock entered me, was it possible that I had a stalker. They weird and slightly romantic 'watching when they sleep' stalking, now that I looked around surveying other things in my room I saw small, but sure enough there were, changes.

I turned to my window, I need to figure out a way to see if anyone at all is coming through it, I walked to it and looked outside I saw the green forest but other than that no trees out my window, so no humans could get in. Thinking about Light from _Death Note_ I got a strip of paper and put it between the window and the frame at the bottom, and in the corner, so I would wake up or distract the person from the paper, a rain stick, yes I have a rain stick, I like the way it sounds, though I could just listen outside, but I wanted to listen to it inside. So now whenever somebody opens the window it will fall. I made it seem like I just set it there not thinking about it and ran down the stairs.

Going through the cupboards I found my hidden junk food and plopped down on the couch. I watched _Grease_ that was on and when it was over Bella came home. She was angry. I grinned, "Got asked to the dance by Mike, Eric, and Tyler huh." She looked at me exasperated and my grin went bigger. "Chocolate," I held out my Hershey bar to her. She snatched it out of my hand and walked up the stairs. "Hey that's mine!"

"Not anymore!" I laughed at her. She deserved free chocolate; she would tomorrow too, due to almost fainting and the Edward fiasco.

That night as I was sleeping I dreamed about my universe, and getting a new car. When I woke up I saw that the rain stick was in the same place, I was a bit disappointed but then I saw the slip of paper on the floor and grinned, Thank you Light Yagami! Still feeling sick I stayed in my room, telling Bella to go without me.

By the time fifth period was almost over, I was looked at the clock every once in a while, I went to the family room to wait for Edward's Volvo to come in the driveway, when it did I snuck over to the window and opened it quietly straining my ears.

I heard Edward. "Don't be offended, but you seem to be one of those people who just attract accidents like a magnet, like your sister." I scoffed, he's so rude. "So… try not to fall into the ocean or get run over or anything, all right."

"I'll see what I can do." Bella glared, I think it was time for me to jump in and yelled from the window.

"I'll keep an eye on her as well," They jumped. "That is if I'm not falling into the ocean." I smiled at Edward jogged out the door and went to Edward's side. "What, to occupied with each other to notice me?"

Edward looked annoyed and rolled his window down. "How is it that you can sneak up on me?"

I pat his shoulder through the window. "I just always know the right time when to hop in."

"That you do."

I smiled to him and went over to Bella, "Let's go eat some chocolate, I bet you had a hard day." I waved goodbye to Edward and we walked inside.

"So," I started, "what did you talk about with Edward during lunch."

"How do you know everything?" She asked, incredulous.

"Not everything, just a lot."

"Well he confused me with some stuff that made no sense, about being friends, about friends, that you and I are hard for him to read, and then about ditching."

When she didn't continue I said, "And about what you think he is," She looked at me surprised. "I don't think you'll ever be able to keep things away from me Bella."

"I don't think so either." With that we went off and did our own thing.

Friday I went to school and was now at lunch, people asked if I was feeling better and if I was going to La Push, I was really excited about going and I let it be known. I forgot Edward and Emmett weren't going to be there, but I didn't know that the others were.

In Chemistry I sat next to Jasper, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, I am thank you."

It was silent and then class started, Jasper was looking ahead eyes narrow. When the teacher gave out the sheets I finished mine easily, though Jasper was done first. I noticed nobody else was done and turned to him.

"Are you ok?"

He ignored my question, "Are you going with your friends this weekend?"

"To La Push," I was surprised, he nodded. "Why?"

"I don't think you should." He stated.

"What?" Now where was this coming from, I know he wasn't in the book much but I knew he wasn't supposed to act this way._ Oh great, another thing I changed_. But I was slightly happy about it.

"It's dangerous, especially for you."

I was annoyed, "Sure bring out the clumsy card."

"I just don't like that I won't be there to catch you when you fall."

I blinked, "Really," was the only answer I would come up with, my mind was swirling faster than I could catch up with.

"What are you feeling?"

"Huh?" I reeled back surprised, and then mentally hit myself. _Huh? Seriously Rave cant you think of anything better to say?_

"Well usually I can tell what people are feeling but with you I only get bits and pieces. It's frustrating. "

"Maybe it's just because I'm a hard person to read."

"That's true." I don't think I was supposed to hear that, if Jasper couldn't use his power on me and neither could Edward, was it possible that even Alice couldn't.

"Are we friends?" I wanted to know if he was going to be like Edward and suddenly ignore me.

"You shouldn't be." He's so blunt.

"But I want to be."

He grimaced, "You shouldn't,"

"But I do," I confessed. "Do you?"

". . . Yes," He looked in my eyes, I was dazzled.

"Even if it makes it hard on both of us," He looked confused as I continued. "I'm glad were friends." I smiled and walked out of the room when the bell rang, him following me.

"What do you mean?" Crap, I slipped.

"Well I don't think your family approves of me," I saved myself. "I see Rosalie glaring."

"She glares at everyone." He explained, "But why is it hard on you."

"'Cause I'll fall for you even harder," I blurted and left him standing in the middle of the hallway as I went to gym.

When I got home I immediately went to my room ignoring Bella. I spent the whole day in my room. I couldn't sleep just stayed in my bed the whole night, then I heard my window opening, I had removed the rain stick from it once I confirmed someone came through. I peaked my eye open keeping my heart calm, breathing even.

I saw Jasper looking at the homework on my desk along with my drawings. He was so occupied with it he didn't even hear me sit up. I thought vampires were supposed to be able to hear anything. What were us humans doing to them. He suddenly stiffened and whipped around staring at me eyes wide.

"Hi."

"Hi? You find me in your room and say hi?" He was angry and slightly bewildered.

"I already knew someone was coming in my room." I told him getting out of bed. "And I know what you are too."

"What do you think I am?" He questioned through his teeth.

"Cold skin," I remembered touching his skin and the electric shock that pasted through one day of my Happy Month as I called it. "Fast, eyes change color," My mind flashed to the horrible experience of fear, about to be destroyed at the hands of my favorite vampire. "able to get in my room from the window," I pointed to the window. "I know you're a vampire."

"Are you scared?"

I smiled walked closer to him. "If I was, would I be as calm as I am, I mean I'm in a room alone with you."

"Exactly, you should be screaming and running the other way."

"But I'm not, and I'm not going to tell anyone," I said truthfully. "If that's what you're worried about."

"What I'm worried about is if you have any self-preservation at all."

"… Can I meet your family?"

"That's what I was talking about."

"What are you doing in my room anyway?" I asked curious.

"Finally, some skepticism," His southern drawl was more apparent and his gold eyes smothered me. He had a smirk etched on his face showing his amusement. I got light headed and my knees were weak. A guy that could do this to anyone was defiantly dangerous. I tore my eyes from his and jumped back on the bed turning back to him, Indian style.

"No, just curious," I shrugged my shoulders waiting for him to answer. He shook his head and sat down on the chair. "So?"

"I don't know." He shook his head, not able to find an answer.

My eyes widened, "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I just can't seem to stay away from you."

I was mad. He just had to come here, and I thought I made it clear that I liked him; I was going to push him out of my mind, not to continue to like him anymore. It would be hard, but it would have to be done, for Alice. My body shook and I clenched my fists.

"So you like me." I kept my face blank, not letting any emotion show.

"Yes," He confessed.

"What about Alice?"

"What about Alice?" He seemed genuinely confused.

"You're with Alice, aren't you?" It came out more of a question, I was confused.

"What would make's you say that?" His auburn brows nit together, sat straighter and his head was slightly tilted.

"J-Jessica, s-she," I choked out. _What is going on? Did I change this too?_

My heart soared, there was an actual possibility that I could end up with this god. He laughed and I was winded, all the air in my lungs vanished and I forgot how to breathe. He will be the death of me. I laughed in my subconscious, I would make sure he would, I just wouldn't tell him that yet.

"Well then, Jessica has it wrong." He smiled in turn I swooned. "She's just my sister."

I grinned and leaned against my gigantic assortment of pillows, completely relaxed, content. I did change another thing by coming here, but this was one of them that I liked the most. I then wanted to talk about things that I knew, for show, so I wouldn't blurt things out that were supposedly unbeknownst to me.

"So you glow in the sun or something?"

He pursed his lips into a thin line. "Why do you say that?"

"Because when the suns at a certain angle, you kind of glow." I said truthfully. I have seen him glow, I had almost missed it but my eyes are sharp to all things about him.

"Your very perceptive," he clenched his jaw, he seemed to go into protective mode. "That dangerous you know, you find out things you shouldn't and bad things happen."

I was indifferent,"I find out things I don't want to all the time, if I want to, and if I don't" Remembering walking by the maids and hearing their gossip I scrunched my nose. To change topic, "Do you sleep in a coffin?"

"No," He smiled humorously, "I don't sleep at all."

"Well it physically impossible to change into a bat so I won't even ask that." He nodded. "Do I have to find all the crosses in the house and hide them?" I asked jokingly.

"No, but I think I would have to find all sharp things and hide them," He countered, "Though you get hurt any way don't you."

I scowled. "I wish I had a stake."

"Rumor, you would have to tear me to pieces," I looked at him seizing him up. "You couldn't even nudge me darlin'."

I tried to keep my smile under control that just made my night. "Darlin'? I could at least attempt it, _darlin'._ "

He showed his teeth with a smile getting up slowly then, in a blur, was right in front of my face. I think he was trying to frighten me, but I was only dazzled, again. His hands were on either side of my knees, trapping me, his eyes grew darker. His smile had turned into a menacing smirk, but even that lured me in.

I went closer and his eyes narrowed, a grumble erupted in his throat that I speculated to be a hiss. "You should be terrified."

"Haven't we already discussed this?" I tucked my legs under my butt. "I'm only afraid of losing you." I remember hearing those words, from Bella. I did not mean to take them, but I completely understood. The time when Jasper goes to attack Bella, I don't think I'll be able to handle him leaving. That is if I'm still here.

His jaw clenched so tightly that I heard his teeth grind. Next thing I know he was on the other side of the room pacing back and forth, hands sliding through his gold locks, sighing. "You shouldn't go to La Push tomorrow."

"I have to. I told Edward I was," Sitting on the edge of the bed was as far as I would go to get close to him; I didn't want him to be any more irritable than he was. "To watch Bella,"

"I'll tell him you can't." He scoffed. "You can't even watch your step."

I scoffed back at him, glaring. "I want to go, so I'm going."

"Why?"

"I want to be with my friends. I'll be careful." I softened, "I promise."

Exhaling he seemed torn. "I'll be anxiously waiting."

"As will I," I smiled.

He was out the window with a chuckle as a goodbye. I would have asked him to stay but I don't really think he could have handled it. He was the newest vegetarian in his family.

I felt better about today and tomorrow, though I would be, like he said, anxiously waiting for school on Wednesday, if I remember it correctly Monday and Tuesday were going to be sunny. I slid under the covers of my bed and went into a deep sleep, dreams of Jasper and La Push in my head.

I was in the backseat of Mike's van and we were on our way to La Push. Bouncing up and down bugging Lauren who was beside me, perturbed that I was sitting next to Tyler, I wouldn't have minded of trading seat with him but I just wanted to annoy her. He didn't seem to mind my excitement, he just grinned as we talked to each other, Lauren giving comments at times.

It was beautiful; it was my first time taking in the scenery, even if I had been there before I hadn't had the time to look, I was so caught up that I was here. The water was dark gray and the thin line of sand was soaked in water making it a dark stone gray-brown. The rest of the beach consisted of many large stones that were every shade a stone could be. Islands, that I hadn't seen when I surfaced, rose out of the water with cliff sides, reaching to uneven heights, with fir trees and bushes crowding them. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees bleached white, some piled together against the forests boundary.

I skipped to the driftwood logs that we were setup at and watched the blue fire Mike had lit up. We all talked for a half hour then it was time to hike. Like I promised Edward, I kept an eye on Bella, going with her on the hike. Mike was pretty happy about us coming.

We lagged behind watching our step, enjoying our alone time together. When we broke through the confines of the forest we found a rocky shore, identical to the one we had just been at, other than the low tide. I watched as the others hopped from rock to rock like mountain goats, fearless. Bella and I cautiously looked around in the water.

The boys were hungry so naturally it was time to go back. Bella wanted to keep up this time so she tripped every once in a while. I stopped a few but other times she brought be down with her, earning laughs.

When we got back to First Beach, I saw that the group had grown, adding with a few of the locals. Bella sat next to Angela and Mike brought them sandwiches and a few sodas to pick from. I got my own sandwich and lemonade in a can, sitting by a couple of locals and across from Sam, who I greeted with a grin. I socialized with the group and when I was done with my food I went to Sam, chattering about my whereabouts. He said that Emily had been wondering if I was ok and wanted to see me again. I sipped from my lemonade; I got his number and warned him that I would be calling so much that they would want to change their number.

I saw Bella off with Jacob, who Bella was using to get information, much to my dislike. Grinning I waved 'adieu' to Sam and caught up with the duo. I did what I do a lot lately, I snuck up behind them.

"So do you think we're a bunch of superstitious natives or what?" Jacobs tone was playful mixed with slight worry.

Bella turned to him smiling awkwardly. "No. I think you're very good at telling scary stories, I still have goose bumps, see?" She held up her arm.

"Cool."He smiled.

"There you are, Bella." Mike called about fifty yards walking towards us, arms waving over his head.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Jacob asked alert with a tone of jealousy.

"No, definitely not," Bella whispered.

"Why," I butt in, making them jump. My grin was sly. "You jealous or somethin'?"

He beamed at me. "Shorty!" He picked me up and spun me around making me dizzy. When my feet were finally back on the ground I stumbled slightly, not in tune with the planet yet.

I ginned back after I was settled with a playful angry face. "I'm not short, all of you are just too tall, and besides, it means gravity loves me."

They laughed and I walked ahead of them to the van not wanting to be pelted by rain that was soon to come. When I got in a few drops of rain started to fall, the others close behind. Tyler, Bella, Angela and I, in that order were squishing in the back while Mike, Jessica, and Lauren hailed the front.

When Bella and I got home; look I already thought of it as home, I bounded up the stairs and used my cell to call Emily. We talked about how we've been and other thing. When I was tired I told Emily, adios, changed, and slipped under the covers of my comfy mattress. I saw the clock, reading twelve and dozed off dreaming of nothing.

~Shreba


	5. Unknown Experience

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight which belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do own Ravenelle and the music box. No copyright infringement is intended.

My Time to Shine!

~5~

'_Unknown Experience'_

"Are you going to Port Angeles with us?" Jessica asked me as she soaked up the sun during lunch.

"No, I think I'm going to explore." I tapped my foot on the bench; I was sitting on top of the table while the others sat normally.

"Explore?" Jessica turned her head to me. "Explore what?"

"The woods," I pointed toward La Push. "Then maybe go to La Push."

"Don't get lost." Lauren sneered.

"Ohh don't worry," I smirked, "I'll be back to annoy you tomorrow."

After school Bella drove home with Jessica following slowly behind. When we got home Bella came in the house to say bye to Charlie in a note, gave me the keys, then left. Writing on the note myself, I told him I was going to La Push to take advantage of the sun. I didn't plan on mentioning the little detour I was taking first.

I marched out of the house to Bella's truck, turned the key in the ignition and was on my way down the road toward La Push. About half a mile away from the house, I parked the faded-red vehicle on the side of the road and tread into the woods.

The woods of Fork's were very green. The trees were tall and full, the ground felt damp and soft. Some trees had fallen over and there were signs of animal life. Daisy's peaked out of multiples of places, I was surprised they hadn't drowned and died but weeds are stronger then flowers. Carefully stepping over a tree root I followed down a manmade path.

After a full thirty minutes I came across nothing. Though what was I expecting, Leprechauns? No, but something more than greenery. Thirty more minutes later, I came upon a clearing; nothing special just a demented circle of space and a rock long enough to lie down on. Though I don't expect it would be too comfortable.

Sitting down on the most comfortable looking part of the rock, I starred forward elbows on my knees. Soon now I assume Bella would be encountering the most unpleasant of men, then Edward coming to the rescue. I sighed and thought for the first time I came here about the people of my world, wondering if they missed me, if they even realized I was gone. Then I speculated if time was even moving there.

_Yea, cause the world really stopped revolving around the sun _for me. I scoffed and kicked up some grass from the ground, leaning back on my hands; face to the sky.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly. _Heat and chills crawled up and down my spine. I tensed and spread my feet apart. Defense moves, that were too basic for me, passed my mind._ Why would I think of those moves when I know the way to make a man twice my size freeze for three minutes? _The face of a man presented itself to me smirking, coming closer._ Why would I think of him I've never even seen him before. _Bright lights blinded my view._ My eyes flew open; I was still in the clearing, alone.

Confused I closed my eyes again, hoping that it would happen again and explain itself; Black. A growl rumbled in my throat. I breathed the air in deeply, my lung expanding till they could no more and then let it out.

Are you alright? _The question echoed through my head. I was worried, angry; so angry I felt the need to kill someone._ Frightened with myself I shivered. No, I'm hearing voices in my head, that's the first sign that one is not "alright". Then I'm seeing things but that could just be my imagination. Then I'm having feeling I've never felt before. Going back to my thoughts I concentrated.

_The wind flew passed me as I ran faster than I could ever imagine. My feet never really touched the ground as I set off to one destination. Home._ I swallowed as I stood up keeping my eyes open trying not to blink. These thoughts, these feelings, are not mine.

I walked back down the path as my eyes watered from not blinking. Finally I gave in and was relieved to find _'I'_ was still on the trail. Forty-five minutes was all it took to get back to the truck; I was in a hurry to get back. With only a few scrapes and bruises I was back home, smiling at Charlie I rushed up the stairs to my room.

Going over to the window locking it, making sure no one was in my room I hastily grabbed the rug flung it to my left and opened the up the floor board. Taking out the book I flipped to the last pages, just hoping, wishing, there was some explanation of what had just happened. Nothing, there was nothing.

Reading the pages over and over again I tried to come to some conclusion. Those three times, those three experiences, I was someone else. I don't know how but I was. The first one could have possibly been Bella, not positive but I was thinking about her before I went into the "trance". She is supposed to think about protecting herself. The second couldn't have been her because it didn't 'feel' or 'sound' like her. The third had to be something supernatural because no human could run that fast.

Feeling my legs cramping up I got up off the ground and sat on my bed; first putting the board back in its place as well as the rug. Pursing my lips my eyes scrolled the page but no longer reading the words. Giving up, the answer just wasn't in it, I closed the book dropped it in my lap and fell on my back. Thinking about nothing I looked up at the ceiling, keeping my mind blank. I heard Bella stomping up the stairs.

I need to do something to take my mind off this… What should I call it? Let just stick with "Trance". Getting up I unlocked the window and leaned out as far as I could without falling.

"Jasper," I whispered loudly. "Are you out there?"

I waited, straining my ears to every little sound.

"Edward," I called in the same tone. "Is there anybody out there?"

I listened quietly.

"Jasper," I shout-whispered toward the woods, "Oh crap I'm gonna fall!"

My hands slipped and my toes grabbed the edge of the window-seat. I whimpered as my hands reached back to grab the window ledge slowly, not making any fast movements, afraid to fall. I couldn't reach. The tips of my fingers barely skimmed the house and my ankles were starting to hurt. Trying to come back up with my knees I felt myself start to slip.

Starting to freak out I started cursing my luck and my short arms. "Please help me!" I called out quietly. "I don't want to die like this, I have something else planned!" Silently laughing in my mind, then it again became panicked.

Stretching my arms I reached for the window again. I felt my nails dig into a crook but took them back out feeling the ledge trying to tear them off. Huffing I gave up. I'm just going to have to flip in the air to land on my feet. I might not even have to break my legs and could just roll on the ground. Or I could die.

Planting my hands on the side of the house I dug my fingers under the panels, hoping beyond hope that gravity will hold me there until my feet face the ground. My ankles felt like they were about to break so, making a wish to make it, I relaxed them. Feeling my feet begin to slip I brought one toward my head and let the other one take its course. My body fell away from the house and before I even realized it my fingers let go of the house and I so close to being straight. At least my feet are closer to the ground then my head.

I closed my eyes and bent my knees a bit under me as I prepared to hit the ground. It didn't hurt as much as I expected it would but it seems I didn't even hit the ground. Peaking through one lid I saw a very stern looking Jasper.

"Well hey there."I smiled sheepishly.

Jasper gave me a sharp look as he set me on my feet and crossed his arms.

"Look, I did not mean to fall out of the window two stories high." I explained as I put my hands on my hips looking up at him. "It's not like I wanted to fly."

Still he just kept staring at me. I felt like a child, so small compared to him, but feeling even smaller now. Wanting him to forgive me I tried to work up some tears, but even before that they came and I looked down at me feet not wanting him to see real ones. I blinked furiously trying to keep them from falling and I felt a hand grab my chin. Closing my eyes I refused to look at him.

"Ravenelle," His voice rang through my head and my eyelids shot open.

He wore a pained expression as he pulled me toward him, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and laying my head on his stomach. I could tell he was tense and not breathing. I threw my arms around his back and held him as hard as I could. I was saved, Jasper, the one I was in love with, saved me. I didn't want to leave him, and I could have died. Two stories for a regular person were like four stories for me. I realized I wasn't crying because I almost died, it's because he saved me, because he cared. I mentally laughed at my over emotional thoughts.

"I'm sorry." My words were muffled by his close.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." He chuckled as he looked at me staring up at him, arms length away.

I smiled as I looked around. "How'd you get here? Why are you here?"

"I ran." He answered.

"And you're here because-" I waited for him to continue.

"Of Alice," He finished.

"Alice?" _She can see me?_ "She's not here," Playing dumb I looked around. "At least I don't think so."

"She saw you." He inquired.

"Can I see her?" I looked up at him with puppy dog eyes.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He turned around and looked back at me. "Get on, and hold tight."

I squealed silently and jumped on his back, though he had to bend down some. Standing up strait again he shot forward through the trees which were now just a blur. Becoming overwhelmed and slightly dizzy I closed my eyes clutching Jaspers shoulders with my hands.

When he stopped he had to steady me after I got down I looked around and saw we were not at his house. I actually think were at the place where they play baseball. The field was huge, surrounding it were trees with moss and tall ferns. About a hundred yards away were rocks.

"What are we doing here?" I turned to him after observing the area.

"Were going to talk," He motioned a hand to the rocks. I went over and sat down.

"About what,"

He took a seat near me. "My family, me,"

"Us," I flinched.

"Us," he confirmed.

"Alright, let's talk."

"My family isn't very supportive about mine and Edward's situation."

"Bella and I you mean."

"Yes." He nodded, continuing. "Edward is supportive because he is in the same situation. Alice is the most supportive. She helped me a lot."

"With what?" I asked one thin brow rose.

"You,"

"How,"

"Before I tell you, you should know some things about me and my family."

"That Alice can see the future, Edward can reads minds, and you can feel and change emotions."

"How do you know that?" He furrowed his brows.

"I just know these things." I then thought about the "Trance". "Besides I am _really, truly_ weird. But we'll talk about me later. So to continue, please tell me; How?"

"Well," Jasper, though seemingly reluctant, started. "The week that Edward and I disappeared we went to Alaska to stay with another vegetarian vampire family in Denali. Edward couldn't be away from Bella anymore so he went back. I wanted to go back as well but I thought it would be safer for all of us if I had just stayed. I could hardly control myself around you in that one hour. It was easier being in Denali, no humans came near the area, but it was also harder, being apart from my family. I thought that was the only reason but then I find out a van almost kills you and no one was there to help you, you had to save yourself."

He pauses, remembering that time with a scowl on his perfect face.

"I had to find out two days after the accident from Alice. She knew that I wanted to come back even before I did. Annoying really, how she knows these things. So on Friday after school she brings a few things that she thought would help me control myself."

"Like what?" I asked suspiciously after seeing the smile he was trying to hide.

"A few of your shirts,"

"What!" I shouted appalled.

He chuckled. "She said you wouldn't notice."

"I didn't but come on! They were new!"

"Well, then you won't like what you hear next. The first week all I did was rip them apart."

I blinked. "How the heck did I not notice all these shirts going missing?"

"When she saw you notice she would buy the same shirts, and some ahead of time. It took me awhile but I eventually got enough tolerance to be near a shirt for a whole day without attacking it. But it would be a lot harder to be near the real scent. So for the last week we had a lot more shirts with me in a closed room."

"And it worked." I stated.

"Yes, though it was hard it was exceedingly easier than the first day."

"But I still smell really good to you."

"Exceptionally good,"

I know it was bad but I loved that I smelt good to him; it's what pulled him to me. "Are you going to tell me about yourself, before you became a vampire and whatnot?"

I could see he was hesitant; he then looked at me as if it was the last time he would see me, and then nodded.

"First I need to tell you why this happened to me." He began. "For a lot of vampires the lifespan of the never-aging is weeks, and not centuries. To understand why, you have to look at the world from a different perspective. You have to imagine the way it looks to the powerful, the greedy, and the invariably thirsty.

"There are places in this world that are more desirable to us than others. Places where we can be less restrained, and still avoid detection.

"For instance picture a map of the western hemisphere, and every living human as a small red dot. The thicker the red, the easier we, vampires, can feed without attracting unwanted attention.

"Not that the covens in the South care if the humans notice or don't. It's the Volturi that keep them in check. They are the only ones the southern covens fear. If not for the Volturi, the rest of us would quickly be exposed.

"The Volturi is-

"I know what the Volturi are. And there not good guys either, though no government is I guess." I wrinkled my nose. The Volturi are one of the oldest operating vampire covens. Centered in Italy the Volturi take it upon their selves to make sure all vampires around the world abide by the oath to keep their existence a secret. There the vampire government. Although the Volturi have only the three rulers and their wives, the members that make up the guard are numerous and just as feared by other vampires. "Anyway you can continue." Even if I knew this story it was completely different hearing it straight from the source.

The look on his face made it clear he wanted to know how I knew all this stuff.

"The North covens are, by comparison, very civilized. Mostly we are nomads here who enjoy the day life as well as the night, and allow humans to interact with us unsuspectingly- Un-acknowledgement is important to us all.

"It's a different world in the South. Immortals come out only during night. They spend the day plotting there next move, or predicting the enemy's. Because it has been war in the South, been war for centuries, with never a moment of truce. The covens there notice humans as soldiers notice herds of cow by the wayside- food for the taking. They only hide from the notice of the herd because of the Volturi.

"Remember the map with the red dots?"

I nodded.

"The war they are fighting is for the control of the thickest red.

"As it occurred too many, someone thought if he were the only vampire in… Mexico City, well then, he could feed every night, twice, three times, and no one would ever notice. He thought of ways to get rid of competition.

"Others had the same idea. Some came up with more effective tactics than others.

"But the most effective tactic was invented by a fairly young vampire named Benito. The first anyone ever heard of him, he came down from somewhere north of Dallas and massacred the two small covens that shared the area near Houston. Two nights later, he took on the much stronger clan of allies that claimed Monterrey in northern Mexico. Again, he won.

"Benito had created an army of newborns.

"How can you win with a bunch of babies?" I grinned up at him trying to lighten the mood a bit. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"Newborn _vampire's_ darlin', completely different to newborn humans; anyway he was the first one to think of it, and in the beginning, he was unstoppable. Very young vampires are volatile, wild, and almost impossible to control. One newborn can be reasoned with, taught to restrain himself, but ten, fifteen, together are a night mare. They'll turn on each other as easily as on the enemy you point them at. Benito had to keep making more as they fought amongst themselves, and as the covens he decimated took more than half his force down before they lost.

"Though newborns are dangerous there still possible to defeat if you know what you're doing. There incredibly powerful physically, for the first year or so, and if they're allowed to bring strength to bear they can crush an older vampire with ease. But they are slaves to their instincts and thus predictable. Usually they have no skill in fighting, only muscle and ferocity. And in this case, overwhelming numbers.

"The vampires in southern Mexico realized what was coming for them and they did the only thing they could think of to counteract Benito. They made armies of their own…

"All hell broke loose- and I mean that more literally than you can possibly imagine. We immortals have our histories, too, and this particular war will never be forgotten. Of course, it was not a good time to be human in Mexico, either.

"When the body count reached epidemic proportions- in fact, your histories blame a disease for the population slump- the Volturi finally stepped in. The entire guard came together and sought out every newborn in the bottom half of North America. Benito was entrenched in Puebla, Building his army as quickly as he could in order to take on the prize- Mexico City. The Volturi started with him, and then moved on to the others.

"Anyone who was found with newborns was executed immediately, and since everyone was preparing to protect themselves from Benito, Mexico was emptied of vampires, for a time.

"The Volturi was, let's say, cleaning house for almost a year. Another chapter in history that will always be remembered thought there were very few who witnessed and was left to speak of what it was like. I spoke to someone once who had watched what happened from a distance when they visited Culiacan."

I grabbed his hand expecting him to shiver, but all he did was smile at me halfheartedly and squeeze back lightly.

"It was enough that the fever for conquest did not spread from the South. The rest of the world stayed sane. We owe the Volturi for our present way of life.

"But when the Volturi went back to Italy, the survivors were quick to stake their claims in the South.

"It didn't take long before covens began to dispute again. There was a lot of bad blood, if you'll forgive the expression. Vendettas abounded. The idea of newborns was already there, and some were not able to resist. However, the Volturi had not been forgotten, and the southern covens were more careful this time. The newborns were selected from the human pool with more care, and given more training. They were used circumspectly, and the humans remained for the most part, oblivious. Their creators gave the Volturi no reason to return.

"The wars resumed, but on a smaller scale. Every now and then, someone would go too far, speculation would begin in the human newspapers, and the Volturi would return and clean out the city, But they let the others, the careful ones, continue…"

He looked down at our laced hands, and then looked up at me with an unreadable expression.

"That's why you were changed." He nodded.

"I was born in Houston, Texas in 1843. When I was almost seventeen I joined the Confederate army in 1861. I lied and said I was twenty." He smiled at the fond memory. "I was tall enough to get away with it."

I scoffed and he laughed at my reaction.

"My military carrier was short-lived but very promising. People always listened to what I had to say, they liked me. My father said it was charisma but I now know that it was something more. Because of that reason I was quickly promoted through the ranks, over older, more experienced men. The Confederate army was new and attempting to organize itself, which provided opportunities. By the first encounter with Galveston I was the youngest major in Texas, not even including my real age.

"I was placed in charge of evacuating women and children from city when the Union's mortar boats reached the harbor. It took a day to prepare them, and then I left with the first column of citizens to transport them to Houston.

"I remember that one night very clearly." His hand gripped mine tighter though not enough to hurt. "We reached the city after dark. I stayed only long enough to make sure the entire party was sagely situated. As soon as that was done, I got myself a fresh horse, and I headed back to Galveston. There wasn't time to rest.

"Just a mile outside the city, I found three women on foot. I assumed they were stragglers and dismounted at once to offer my aid. Nut, when I could see their faces in the dim light of the moon, I was stunned into silence. They, were, without question, the three most beautiful women I had ever seen,

"They had such pale skin, I remember marveling at it. Even the little black haired girl those features were clearly Mexican, was porcelain in the moonlight. They seemed young, all of them, still young enough to be called girls, I knew they were not lost members of our party. I would have remembered seeing these three.

"'He's speechless,' the tallest girl said in a lovely, delicate voice- it was like wind chimes. She had fair hair, and her skin was snow white.

"The other was blonder still, her skin just as chalky. Her face was like an angel's. She leaned toward me with half-closed eyes and inhaled deeply.

"'Mmm,' she sighed. 'Lovely.'

"The small one, the tiny brunette, put her hand on the girls arm and spoke quickly. Her voice was too soft and musical to be sharp, but that seemed to be the way she intended it.

"'Concentrate, Nettie,' she said.

"I'd always had a good sense of how people related to each other, and it was immediately clear that the brunette was somehow in charge of the others.

"'He looks right- young, strong, an officer…'the brunette posed and I tried unsuccessfully to speak. 'And there's something more… do you sense it?' she asked the other two. 'He's… compelling.'

"'Oh, yes,' Nettie quickly agreed, leaning toward me again.

"'Patience,' the brunette cautioned her. 'I want to keep this one.'

"Nettie frowned; she seemed annoyed.

"'You'd better do it, Maria,' the taller blonde spoke again. 'If he's important to you. I kill them twice as often as I keep them.'

"'Yes, I'll do it,' Maria agreed. 'I really do like this one. Take Nettie away, will you? I don't want to have to protect my back while I'm trying to focus.'

"My hair was standing up on the back of my neck though I didn't understand the meaning of anything the beautiful creatures were saying. My instincts told me that there was danger, that the angel had meant it when she spoke of killing, but my judgment overruled my instincts. I had not been taught to fear women, but to protect them."

"Are you kidding me? Women are terrifying!" I threw my free hand up in the air.

"I know that now." He smiled. "You're constantly terrifying the hell out of me. Like with the window."

"Sorry."I made a face but couldn't help but smile, but too soon it dropped. "Maria changed you."

"Yes," the look on his face made him seemingly made of stone, marble. "'Let's hunt, ' Nettie agreed enthusiastically, reaching for the tall girl's hand. They wheeled -they were so graceful! - And sprinted toward the city. They seemed to almost take flight, they were so fast - their white dresses blew out behind them like wings. I blinked in amazement, and they were gone.

"I turned to stare at Maria, who was watching me curiously.

"I'd never been superstitious in my life. Until that second, I'd never believed in ghosts or any other such nonsense. Suddenly, I was unsure.

"'What is your name, soldier?' Maria asked me.

"'Major Jasper Whitlock, ma'am, ' I stammered, unable to be impolite to a female, even if she was a ghost.

"'I truly hope you survive, Jasper, ' she said in her gentle voice.'I have a good feeling about you.'

"She took a step closer, and inclined her head as if she were going to kiss me. I stood frozen in place, though my instincts were screaming at me to run. "

Jasper paused, his face thoughtful. "A few days later,"

I put my hand up to stop him."Wait! What aren't you telling me?"

"It's better if you don't know."

"It hurt, as if you were on fire, right. For three days."

His face became exasperated."You shouldn't know these things."

"I know." I closed my eyes as he continued listening to him continue.

"I was introduced to my new life.

"Their names were Maria, Nettie, and Lucy. They hadn't been together long - Maria had rounded up the other two - all three were survivors of recently lost battles. Theirs was a partnership of convenience. Maria wanted revenge, and she wanted her territories back. The others were eager to increase their . . . Herd lands, I suppose you could say. They were putting together an army, and going about it more carefully than was usual. It was Maria's idea. She wanted a superior army, so she sought out specific humans who had potential. Then she gave us much more attention, more training than anyone else had bothered with. She taught us to fight, and she taught us to be invisible to the humans. When we did well, we were rewarded. . ."

My eyes were open by then and I almost grinded my teeth. It just did not sound good. I might be a bit perverted. From the corner of my eye I could see him looking at me.

"She was in a hurry, though. Maria knew that the massive strength of the newborn began to wane around the year mark, and she wanted to act while we were strong.

"There were six of us when I joined Maria's band. She added four more within a fortnight. We were all male - Maria wanted soldiers - and that made it slightly more difficult to keep from fighting amongst ourselves. I fought my first battles against my new comrades in arms. I was quicker than the others, better at combat. Maria was pleased with me, though put out that she had to keep replacing the ones I destroyed. I was rewarded often, and that made me stronger.

"Maria was a good judge of character. She decided to put me in charge of the others - as if I were being promoted. It suited my nature exactly. The casualties went down dramatically, and our numbers swelled to hover around twenty.

"This was considerable for the cautious times we lived in. My ability, as yet undefined, to control the emotional atmosphere around me was vitally effective. We soon began to work together in a way that newborn vampires had never cooperated before. Even Maria, Nettie, and Lucy were able to work together more easily.

"Maria grew quite fond of me - she began to depend upon me. And, in some ways, I worshipped the ground she walked on. I had no idea that any other life was possible. Maria told us this was the way things were, and we believed.

"She asked me to tell her when my brothers and I were ready to fight, and I was eager to prove myself. I pulled together an army of twenty-three in the end - twenty-three unbelievably strong new vampires, organized and skilled as no others before. Maria was ecstatic.

"We crept down toward Monterrey, her former home, and she unleashed us on her enemies. They had only nine newborns at the time, and a pair of older vampires controlling them. We took them down more easily than Maria could believe, losing only four in the process. It was an unheard-of margin of victory.

"And we were well trained. We did it without attracting notice. The city changed hands without any human being aware.

"Success made Maria greedy. It wasn't long before she began to eye other cities. That first year, she extended her control to cover most of Texas and northern Mexico. Then the others came from the South to dislodge her."

He brushed two fingers along the faint pattern of scars on his arm. "The fighting was intense. Many began to worry that the Volturi would return. Of the original twenty-three, I was the only one to survive the first eighteen months. We both won and lost. Nettie and Lucy turned on Maria eventually - but that one we won.

"Maria and I were able to hold on to Monterrey. It quieted a little, though the wars continued. The idea of conquest was dying out; it was mostly vengeance and feuding now. So many had lost their partners, and that is something our kind does not forgive. . . .

"Maria and I always kept a dozen or so newborns ready. They meant little to us - they were pawns, they were disposable. When they outgrew their usefulness, we did dispose of them. My life continued in the same violent pattern and the years passed. I was sick of it all for a very long time before anything changed . . .

"Decades later, I developed a friendship with a newborn who'd remained useful and survived his first three years, against the odds. His name was Peter. I liked Peter; he was . . . Civilized -I suppose that's the right word. He didn't enjoy the fight, though he was good at it.

"He was assigned to deal with the newborns - babysit them, you could say. It was a full-time job.

"And then it was time to purge again. The newborns were outgrowing their strength; they were due to be replaced. Peter was supposed to help me dispose of them. We took them aside individually, you see, one by one . . . It was always a very long night. This time, he tried to convince me that a few had potential, but Maria had instructed that we get rid of them all. I told him no.

"We were about halfway through, and I could feel that it was taking a great toll on Peter. I was trying to decide whether or not I should send him away and finish up myself as I called out the next victim. To my surprise, he was suddenly angry, furious. I braced for whatever his mood might foreshadow - he was a good fighter, but he was never a match for me.

"The newborn I'd summoned was a female, just past her year mark. Her name was Charlotte. His feelings changed when she came into view; they gave him away. He yelled for her to run, and he bolted after her. I could have pursued them, but I didn't. I felt . . . Averse to destroying him.

"Maria was irritated with me for that . . .

"Five years later, Peter snuck back for me. He picked a good day to arrive.

"Maria was mystified by my ever-deteriorating frame of mind. She'd never felt a moment's depression, and I wondered why I was different. I began to notice a change in her emotions when she was near me - sometimes there was fear . . . And malice - the same feelings that had given me advance warning when Nettie and Lucy struck. I was preparing myself to destroy my only ally, the core of my existence, when Peter returned. "Peter told me about his new life with Charlotte, told me about options I'd never dreamed I had. In five years, they'd never had a fight, though they'd met many others in the north. Others who could co-exist without the constant mayhem.

"In one conversation, he had me convinced. I was ready to go, and somewhat relieved I wouldn't have to kill Maria. I'd been her companion for as many years as Carlisle and Edward have been together, yet the bond between us was nowhere near as strong. When you live for the fight, for the blood, the relationships you form are tenuous and easily broken. I walked away without a backward glance.

"I traveled with Peter and Charlotte for a few years, getting the feel of this new, more peaceful world. But the depression didn't fade. I didn't understand what was wrong with me, until Peter noticed that it was always worse after I'd hunted.

"I contemplated that. In so many years of slaughter and carnage, I'd lost nearly all of my humanity. I was undeniably a nightmare, a monster of the grisliest kind. Yet each time I found another human victim, I would feel a faint prick of remembrance for that other life. Watching their eyes widen in wonder at my beauty, I could see Maria and the others in my head, what they had looked like to me the last night that I was Jasper Whitlock. It was stronger for me - this borrowed memory - than it was for anyone else, because I could feel everything my prey was feeling. And I lived their emotions as I killed them.

"As you said I can manipulate the emotions around myself, but I wonder if you realize how the feelings in a room affect me. I live every day in a climate of emotion. But around you I barely feel any emotion at all. In the class room I thought that that would be a relief. I could kill you without feeling anything." He looked into my eyes. "But I couldn't, even when the monster inside me fought so hard, no matter what, I just didn't want to kill you. To me you were the perfect alcoholic drink in a room of cold stale beer. And I was a deprived alcoholic just come out of rehab."

"I know you want be to be scared about that, but I just feel flattered." I smiled sheepishly at him.

"Again, you're terrifying." He shook his head but tightened his hold on my hand. He was relieved. Relived I hadn't ran away.

But I actually wondered; I looked at my hand that was still laced in his; would he actually let me go?

"For the first century of my life, I lived in a world of bloodthirsty vengeance. Hate was my constant companion. It eased some when I left Maria, but I still had to feel the horror and fear of my prey.

"It began to be too much.

"The depression got worse, and I wandered away from Peter and Charlotte. Civilized as they were, they didn't feel the same aversion I was beginning to feel. They only wanted peace from the fight. I was so wearied by killing - killing anyone, even mere humans.

"Yet I had to keep killing. What choice did I have? I tried to kill less often, but I would get too thirsty and I would give in. After a century of instant gratification, I found self-discipline. . . Challenging. I still haven't perfected that."

His desolate expression he had gained as he was talking smoothed into a peaceful smile. I was a little worried about this part. I changed this part.

"I was in Philadelphia. There was a storm, and I was out during the day - something I was not completely comfortable with yet. I knew standing in the rain would attract attention, so I ducked into a little half-empty diner. My eyes were dark enough that no one would notice them, though this meant I was thirsty, and that worried me a little.

"They were there, Alice and Liam - expecting me, naturally." He chuckled once. "Alice hopped down from the high stool at the counter as soon as I walked in and came directly toward me.

"It shocked me. I was not sure if they meant to attack. Liam stayed back; he most likely knew I was a bit wary. That's the only interpretation of her behavior my past had to offer. But she was smiling. And the emotions that were emanating from her were like nothing I'd ever felt before.

"'You've kept us waiting a long time, ' she said. I ducked my head, like a good Southern gentleman, and said, 'I'm sorry, ma'am. 'She held out her hand, and I took it without stopping to make sense of what I was doing. For the first time in almost a century, I felt hope. Liam was smirking at me. 'Keep your hands off my lady.' Even as he said it he felt no ill will to me.

"Alice told me what she'd seen of Carlisle and his family. I could hardly believe that such an existence was possible, vegetarian vampires! But Alice made me optimistic. So we went to find them.

""Scared the hell out of them, too, Emmett and Edward were away hunting. I show up, covered in battle scars, towing a very energetic Alice, who greets them all by name, knows everything about them, and wants to know which room she can move into; and Liam.

He laughed as I smiled.

"I like the ending."

"I do to."

Now it was time to ask the question that had been running through my head ever since it was mentioned. "Who's Liam?"

"Alice's mate, almost her complete opposite. But it was like they were made for each other."

Well then I don't feel so bad.

"I should get you home." He got up, gently pulling me up with him.

"Yeah," I got onto his back and closed my eyes before he shot of toward my home. I felt the air whip around me and felt like I was flying. After maybe three minutes I felt up come to a stop and opened my eye seeing up in my room.

"Goodnight," He whispered.

"Jasper," I looked up at him. "No matter what you do, you will never be a monster to me. You will never be anything but Jasper."

He looked troubled, he came over to me grabbed the back of my head and attentively kissed my forehead.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Promise?" I asked looking up at him in a daze. Sure it was just a kiss on the forehead but to me it was bliss. "No matter what?"

"No matter what." He confirmed and went over to the window. "Go to sleep, we'll talk more later."

"Night," I breathed out.

"Goodnight," He said again with a small smile.

After he left I went and took a shower because I had a strong feeling I was going to be late tomorrow for school, got dressed in black pajama pants and a big t-shirt and got into bed, quickly falling asleep.

~Shreba


End file.
